For thousands of years, people have shared their stories. Whether they drew symbols on a cave or recited an epic poem around a fire, storytelling has always been a foundation of our culture. It’s what makes us who we are as humans- our ability to write our own stories. That’s why the gift of writing is priceless. For it is with the stroke of a pen that emotion is evoked, ideas are shaped and our wildest dreams become realities.

Now, I’ve been writing constantly since I was in the fourth grade. Stories, screenplays essays, movie reviews, you name it. I have seen firsthand the impact that my written words have on other’s emotions. Once I wrote a simple Mother’s Day card to my mom that made both her and my grandmother cry. I’ve had my day ruined by a stupid text message, I’ve been overjoyed when receiving a handwritten postcard from a close friend at a distant college. Words evoked these emotions in me, and I’m sure writings, both virtual and physical have evoked some both pleasant and unpleasant emotions in you. Words have the power to not only influence us, but also inspire us.

Writing can make us aware of a world, a character, or a lesson we never knew we needed. We can garner hope from stories. One of my favorite stories is Cinderella, because it has such a strong message about believing and hope. We can see Cinderella overcome enslavement, neglect and trauma while remaining a kind, caring, and patient person, finally get the happy ending she deserves. This story inspires us to believe that no matter how bad things are, if you keep on believing, things will work out. The Cinderella story teaches us hope- it gives us something better to yearn for, it makes us ask ourselves “What can I hope for… dream for?” This story demonstrates the power of words. From a simple fairy tale, we are given the idea of hope and faith and kindness and love- our lives are enriched, by words and storytelling.

That’s why it’s important to write with a powerful message in mind, because words have the greatest impact on us, more than guns and violence. Nuclear bombs and brute force will only change the world so much. But it’s the ideas, the words, the messages in our stories that will ultimately change the world as we know it. As the old saying goes: “The pen is mightier than the sword.”

So, I try my best to write as often as I can because writing can not only impact other’s emotions and ideas, but also provide a form of escape. Writing and creating a story can transport me into a world that whatever I want it to be. A world where I can forget all of life’s little annoyances and create a story that I can get completely lost in. A story that I can control, a story that can entertain and amuse me for hours on end. That’s why I, and a lot of other people write, for escape. For a chance to temporarily live in a world that both diminishes our world’s injustices while also bringing out the best of what life has to offer.

The world needs writing, and words, and stories, now more than ever. With all the ugliness that’s being shoved down our throats, it is vital that we each share our own unique perspective. That we share words powerful enough to make someone feel humbled or loved. We need to write stories with messages of hope and perseverance. We need to escape from our imperfect world every now and then and be reminded of all the good that’s out there. Share your stories, because every single one of you has one, and your story is capable of changing the world.