Why do I write?

There are many answers to this question, but I'll just start from the beginning. For as long as I can remember, I have always had a love for writing. Even when I was in elementary school, I remember being "that kid" who was so pumped to participate in every single writing contest that was offered at my school (I even won a few back in the day).

I would write anything, from silly short stories to song lyrics. Throughout my life, I would go through periods of time without writing, and something was missing... but I always found my way back. Whenever I did start to write again, I immediately felt way better and wondered, "Why didn't I do this earlier?"

Going off of my writing obsession, I have been super interested in writing for the Odyssey ever since I started college. I would spend many sleepless nights reading Odyssey articles (and watching Netflix, of course) and think to myself, "Wow, I really want to be one of those people."

Something has always held me back, though. I think it was a mixture of not having much time on my hands and if I'm being honest, a fear of sharing my thoughts and feelings with others. Expressing my feelings to the world is something I've always been kind of weary about.

I am no longer holding back on these things, though.

One of the biggest reasons for this is the wonderful woman who brought me into this world, my mother. Anyone who knows me knows that my mom passed away just a few weeks before this school year began. My mom will always be the most caring person I've ever known and my very best friend.

One of her favorite hobbies was writing, so that contributed to the reason why I fell in love with it. My mom would randomly write me letters while I was away at school, even just to tell me how much she loved me. So sharing my writing is something I feel I can give back to my mom, something that will make her happy.

Helping people through my writing is something I am also passionate about, and this is coming from the future counselor in me. I have experienced mental health issues throughout my life, such as anxiety and depression, especially recently. Writing has always been something that has been able to take me away from these things, even at moments when I'm feeling especially down in the dumps. I want to be able to help people who may be going through similar issues in their lives.

These things suck, but no one has to do it alone. I want anyone reading this to know that you are not alone and always have someone there for you, including me.

Who knows, I might be able to help someone along the way.