The unanticipated journey

"You can't cross the sea merely by standing and staring at the water."

Rabindranath Tacore

Writing was never an enjoyable task for me in school. I got by very well, but it was never a creative exercise. However, everything changed when I started my first job. In a short time, I discovered the value of good writing in getting my tasks recognised and exerting influence on people who make decisions. That was when writing started to open doors for me. I was better at completing tasks that involved writing than my main responsibilities.

Years later, with my impending motherhood, I was inspired to start blogging to journal my journey as a personal keepsake. A blog is an extraordinary thing; you never know how it can evolve or where it will lead you, and motherhood is a broad subject.

Soon, I began writing about travelling, since many new parents were nervous about travelling with infants and toddlers. Travelling with my children in their infancy and toddlerhood was an important experience for me, which was why I felt the need to tell our stories. There were also product recommendations and reviews, which I was never really proud of because, looking back, I might have disrespected the choices and justifications of others.

I also cherished the moments when I got to share stories about the kind, impactful people who crossed paths with me. Each encounter was a unique thread in the tapestry of my life, woven with acts of compassion, inspiration, and generosity. By sharing their tales, I hope to inspire others to recognize and appreciate the kindness around them, fostering a ripple effect of positive change in the world. Writing had turned into a very pleasurable hobby for me.

When I started taking freelance writing commissions, I became less active on my blog. The thing with being paid to write is that you don't get to choose what you wish to write, which can be aggravating at times, although different publications gave me different levels of flexibility. I do not write for money, but being paid is an attractive incentive.

All things considered, I am happy to get the opportunity to do something beyond my education and training. I am happy that I dared to say yes to the first offer. And I am ever so grateful to the people who took a chance on me and gave me the opportunity.

Three years ago, being inspired by an idea which emerged out of prolonged periods of solitude in the hospital, I jumped into the affair of writing a book. I did so hastily before I lost the courage to start. It is a memoir of a period which most changed my life, the story of my need to engage with the human questions of fear and pain, to acknowledge them as an essential part of being, and how a change in perspective has significantly changed the outcome.

I didn't care if anyone was interested in reading it, only that it was important that I brought it to completion because it is the book I most want to read.