How Writing Saved My Life

Words, whatever structure or form they take, are essential to our ability to communicate. At the core of the human experience, we communicate through our body, soul, and spirit. Our words are what will shape us.

The art of communication is a growing trend in our modern society. We are captivated by the growing technological tools. I wrote this article from my mobile device. Then used another tool to edit. Then I used another tool to publish and you might be reading this by using an audible tool.

We have come a long way. From writing in the sand to writing on rocks, the development of pen and paper. Yes, I think you got the picture. Writing has been part of our survival. It is our way of inspiring change, connecting perspectives, and sharing stories.

As a boy at the age of 9, I desired to be a songwriter. I was learning to play the piano at the time and music played a key role in my thought process. Songs I thought would be my way to communicate. However, that thought was crushed as paper after paper got tossed in the wastebasket.

I realized I needed some guidance and spoke with my dad. I told him my desire. In that brief encounter, he responded to me with these three words, “Read the Bible”.

At first, I wondered how would that help me in songwriting. However, I respected my dad and his wisdom and went on a journey of reading the Bible. The path was one where I often did not understand what I was reading but I kept at it. I would have conversations and listen to various individuals as they expanded on or explained the scripture. Then one day this happen.

I was living in New York, new culture. I was preparing to further my education in computer science, a new experience. I had left all my family and friends behind and now had to create new ones, new connections. All happening at the same time. While I was excited about these new changes I was not prepared and didn’t know how to adjust to these changes. I was overwhelmed. I was exploding on the inside. I was feeling crushed on the outside. The world that I thought I knew was no longer blue but a colour I could not understand.

I didn’t know who I could talk with or even what to say. My dad was far away and calling was no easy touch of a screen to even say hello.

I then went to my room which had become my safe space, locked my door. Siting for a moment I started to pray. With tears welling up inside I could no longer say and so I grabbed my pen and a writing pad and for five hours I wrote every word I wanted to verbally say.

This time I didn’t toss the papers but wrote page after page. It was like an oil well that was struck and so the words came gushing out. When I finally stopped writing at around 3 am the next morning, I quietly went to sleep not realizing that my words were no longer hidden but far deeper than my sleep.

In the days that followed, I found my soul beginning to see, pitches and pictures of those words coming even as others spoke. I said very little but wrote and sorted to express myself. My words began to hit the pages of blank papers and my story was unfolding and being birth.

Released Expressions I thought of the name of my story and a series of poems I wrote. Dedicated to my mother and father even after his death his voice I spoke. Through the years of writing, I soon began to find my voice. From that very moment, my father’s words I now inscribe.

I’ve had my share of traumatic experiences and for years I felt I never had a voice. I was often silenced but my father’s words kept me going. There is that moment of forgiveness when I had to let myself go and open up to the words inside me and simply let all come out and flow.

Every day is a mystery and some days I don’t have the words to say but deep down inside me I now lead my thoughts in the words I pray.

I still write with a pen and paper and there are two shelves in my library with all those thoughts. One day I will share them, for writing right now is still my passion. It is what saved me, so I write this to you today.

Whatever stage you are in life, you too can write. Your words are your story, treat it with care and gather your thoughts to pass on that message.

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My name is O Stephen and I get to help aspiring writers write with passion while finding their voice. Join me on releasedexpressions.com while we go Beyond Journeys.
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