I am perched precariously on a ledge of creativity and contemplating whether or not to jump.

I have written in one capacity or another my whole life and I have done so without support,

coercion or any hope of coming up with anything worthwhile. I am starting my article this way

in the hopes of inspiring those would be writers who would love to express themselves but, for

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some unspoken reason they have not.

Creativity is a gift. Pure and simple, it is a gift bestowed on those that deserve it. The

funny thing is, not everyone knows they are creative. I believe that everyone has some

deep-seated talent that is waiting in the wings to be discovered. I have found myself most at

home on a computer usually my laptop, writing poetry or working on a manuscript that I have

made a life's work. (I can only see it as this way since I have been working on it for 5

years). My only problem with creativity is strength or in my previous case, lack of strength.

You see, as I mentioned at the beginning of this article. I did not have anyone telling me

that I had anything to offer. In fact, I was told that I would not amount to anything. That I

was at best a slacker (not the speaker's actual words). I wrote poetry at the age of 12 and

was told by the person I would recite to that they did not like poetry. I also wrote jokes,

short stories and just random thoughts here and there. I turned inward and did not share these

things with anyone for a long while because I was afraid to be told that I was not any good. I

enjoyed what I created and at the time that is all that counted. I wasn't until I was married

that I embraced my love for poetry again and started writing for someone. My husband seemed

to enjoy what I put in cute little notebooks for him and I even gave him a completely filled

one to have as a keepsake. I have a 12 year old of my own now and it always amazes me how

much alike we are in our creativity. She likes to write short stories and will often show

them to me and I of course look forward to reading each and every one of them just because

she put her heart into it. So, those of you out there that are currently on that ledge. If you

find yourself peering over and afraid to take the leap. Go ahead and jump. Whatever your

interests are whatever makes you feel like you are alive grab it and hold on because there is

no benefit to just standing there looking over that ledge.

Learn more about this author, Andrea Miller.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

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