Sitting at my grandmother’s feet watching her write in her small journal is what I remember most about her. She left this world on August 3, 2016 at 9:30 AM. I found out at 10:03.
All I’ve been able to think about is her sitting in her brown or green recliner, picking up her small notebook from a flowery decorated tray table sitting on the left side of the recliner, and writing something in it. She never wrote for a long time, though. It always seemed to be no more than one or two sentences. That is the memory that I see when I think of my grandmother.
She’s the first person I saw write. She’s the first image I have of someone putting pen to a piece of paper and writing something on it. That’s why I began journaling… because I saw my grandmother, Bertha Allen do it. She was my introduction to writing.
I have writing in my DNA. I was blessed with the gift on my father’s side as well. He’s a writer. Funny thing is… my father likes to cook, too. The boys, my two brothers got the cooking gene, and my sister and I got the writing gene. I laugh every time I think about that.
I have been writing since I was nine years old, when I wrote a poem for an Easter program at my church. After that, I began writing almost every day. I always had a pen and some paper, usually a small notebook like my grandmother had on her tray table, in my hand. Jotting down and observing the things around me became a quotidian task. I know I got on people’s nerves.
I still love to write today. I still get excited when I get an idea for a story or poem. I still get emotional when I experience the emotion of one of my characters. I still feel a sense of pride when someone says they enjoyed my writing. I laugh as I read an old story, poem, or essay I wrote. Looking at my writing portfolio gives me pleasure, as I reflect on the skills I have learned over the years. I get a moment of joy when I complete a writing job.
I’m a writer because God gave me that talent. But, my grandmother is the person who opened my eyes to the gift that I had inside. She started me on my path as a writer.
Prayerfully, one day, I can do the same for some young writer.
NOTE: I couldn't rewrite the essay without thinking of this one.
NOTE: I couldn't rewrite the essay without thinking of this one.
