Validation

It was the year 1999 and I was in fourth grade. At this time, I didn't identify with writing, or with being a writer. But then something inspirational happened. My writing teacher, from the sheer goodness of her heart, chose to read my one-page piece on Redwall's Baby Rollo character - something she did every six weeks or so to feature a student's talent as a means to inspire his or her classmates. I don't know how inspired the class felt while she read the piece aloud, but in that moment, I felt a pure, innocent sense of pride, of satisfaction. This moment made me think, "I am a good writer! I have talent. I can keep expressing and improving this talent!" And ever since that moment, I've been a passionate and confident writer. For the next three years, up until the start of middle school, I obsessively created all kinds and sizes of writing - short stories, poems, books - secretly obsessed with becoming the next J.R.R. Tolkien except at the seemingly ripe age of 12.

Now it's nearly the year 2015. Writing about this memory has thoroughly filled my heart with an abundance of gratitude and anticipation. Thanks.