"Writing is the painting of the voice"--Voltaire

When we were young, we were taught to write essays, journals, the works. When we were young, we were taught to write for someone other than ourselves. Whether it was for a teacher to grade, a parent to monitor our growth, or a mentor to help, the act of writing was drilled into our minds early on that when we write, it is meant for others. Now, students begrudge writing essays and papers for class, applications, or test, remembering that learned response to writing. Some of us, enjoy writing for various reasons, though there are far too less of us for the benefits writing brings. Not only does writing stimulate the brain, aiding in development and exercise of concepts, but also allows free expression, critical thinking, and support of mental health.

Writers, bloggers, and poets alike use these advantages to express thoughts and belief. It's a different kind of devotion and passion for writing that evokes people to write without any expectations for views, likes, or money. These people are true artists, functioning for the love of the feel of pen to paper, the smell of a new notebook, and the emotion that comes from a new entry. They write for themselves, with little care to who sees their work. Their works become precious facets of intimate design, crafted from the inner, beautiful working of their minds. No word is written without abandon and care, no sentence out of place, and no emotion left unexplored. The freedom to write whatever comes to mind is too tempting to surpass, thus writing becomes their outlet; an outlet from reality, the world, and even themselves.

As a child, I felt very much the same as others did about writing, dreadful. But, I was encouraged to journal and that turned into free rhymes scribbled randomly on the outskirts of homework assignments. I am an artist because I write for me, for the people who don't have a voice or cannot express themselves, for the ones who can't. I write not for views, or shares, or likes, or money, but because it is an outlet for my innermost thoughts, because I can say what I feel and not be ashamed or scared of backlash.

If no one ever looked at a piece of writing I created, I would not be upset because I know the beauty in the words I pieced together. When I write, if I get one view, I know that whoever that person is has been touched by my words in some way or another, that perhaps what I've written was what they needed to hear. One article at a time, I could change the world, with my voice, my mind, and my words.

My words are my own, my voice is my own, and I share it with others because I can, because I choose to, and because it is an extraordinary luxury to enjoy writing that I won't take for granted.