Page 22 - The Flame

Ink and Paper

ZENDY VICTORIA SUE G. VALENCIA, Letters Editor

I begin to write the end

university-wide writers’ guild, an young and talented writers who behind me and believed in me
organizati on I had signed up for a have indeed enriched my experi- when I did not believe in myself.
few weeks back. To my surprise, a ence. I learned to listen to their My deepest grati tude goes
group of unfamiliar faces greeted bright ideas and to see the world out fi rst and foremost to my
HIS column crawls out of me as I entered the room, and of writi ng through their eyes, mother, who is and will always be
my mind’s corners hesitant- when I asked them where the through their words, and through the light of all my literary under-
Tly as I wonder how to begin writers’ guild exam was, they their styles. I had the privilege to takings. I love you, mom!
to write the end. In my four years told me I must have been mis- listen to their stories and to learn To my aunts, uncles, and
as a campus writer, I have come taken, that this was the exam from them, and I made sure that cousins (whom I have held dear
to realize that it is the end that is room for the college newslett er. they too learned from me—we like siblings), thank you for your
hardest to write. It is because in My cheeks burned in embarrass- left indelible marks on each oth- unending belief in me, despite
the end, the writer questi ons if it ment. Puzzled, I sti ffl y took an er’s hearts and lives, becoming my craziness! Thank you for fi ll-
is worth to begin at all. As I look exam sheet and asked them if I a family in the process, through ing my heart with love, and my
back on my journey into writi ng could try-out anyway. They nod- every cycle sent out. shelves with the magic of books.
and becoming a Thomasian writ- ded and I made my way to the The Flame taught me the To all my literary mothers and
er, I tell the reader of this column nearest seat and sunk into it. meaning of words like discipline, fathers, all of you have inspired
(whoever you are), that yes, it Being a creati ve writer, fi rst ti me (deadlines, deadlines, dead- me to no end to conti nue on with
is indeed worth it to begin. Per- and foremost, I did not under- lines!), respect, and teamwork— writi ng and pursuing the literary
haps, you should, too. stand the nuances of journalisti c words that oft en take a long ti me discipline so that I might some-
My journey began with an writi ng (they informed me that to learn. The publicati on indeed day follow in the footsteps of
epiphany—no, a statement—in- they were not holding exams for pushed me to become a bett er your greatness.
side the four walls of an English literary writers then and would writer, not to wait for the light of To my muses and all those
classroom that defi ned my en- just absorb those who made it inspirati on to come. It made me I have loved and writt en for, for
ti re stay at the University. The into the writers’ guild later on), come to realize that perhaps, if I those whom my ink have spilled,
professor asked all of us why we but I answered the sheet to the searched long and hard enough, I thank you for helping me grow
chose to take up Literature. My best of my ability, which was next the light of inspirati on is just in- both as a writer and as a person.
heart leapt with excitement at to none. To no one’s surprise, the side, waiti ng to be ignited. Per- To my co-editors and writers,
the questi on and almost imme- day the results were put up, my haps, I am the light I am waiti ng thank you so much for putti ng up
diately, I had an answer for her, name did not make it in the list for. Just maybe. with me and my errati c musings
“Because I want to become a of passers. The Flame also taught me (ha, ha, ha!). Thank you for the
writer, and I do not want to learn I learned a valuable lesson the importance of sharing—that pati ence and for believing that
the craft any other way but the there, which I sti ll carry with me writi ng is not an individualisti c no matt er how late I (read: my
Thomasian way.’’ as I conti nue to put pen to pa- art, that my craft and the tech- arti cles) will come, I will come,
I remember saying that with per—to always, always, always nique that I learned through my soon! To friendship and to writ-
such convicti on back then, not keep the pen moving—that if one mentors, and that which I will ing!
because it seemed like the ideal wants to become a writer, then learn, is not mine alone. My craft To my circle of friends who
answer, but because for some one must learn to live as a writer. is to be shared and to be used to have been with me through my
unspoken reason, I knew deep in- One must see things in dif- mold younger writers who carry ups and downs and accepted
side me that it was true. I wanted ferent shades, colors, and lights; the same passion for writi ng in me even at my worst, unending
to become a writer, and I wanted one must have “writer” writt en their hearts. Together we will thanks and a free-fl owing sea of
to learn it the Thomasian way. on the skin of her heart. Luckily, create the voice of this genera- love to all of you.
Unti l today, even as I write this because I kept the pen moving, I ti on—the voice of a new genera- To all the other great young
column, I fi nd that it sti ll rings got into the writers’ guild, and a ti on—to say we are here, to say writers whom I had the privi-
true to me, perhaps even more year later, got absorbed into the we are indeed, alive. lege of meeti ng, conversing, and
so. Flame by the then-literary edi- Like all beginnings, this col- growing in the craft with through
The experience of being a tor who became a great friend of umn ends with a series of thank the four years that have passed,
campus writer is defi nitely fi lled mine. yous because a writer never thank you for your presence in
with a series of ups and downs— And so it began. stands alone in her success. In my life. Let us all remember that
of beginnings and endings. Co- Although I only spent two fact, she does not own her suc- this is but the beginning for all of
incidentally, my beginning here years working for the Flame, cess. If she does, she owns but a us. Let us conti nue to grow and
at the Flame started with an the college publicati on surely litt le. No words would have came to make the words dance on the
ending—a failure. I walked into taught me more than I ever from me and no ink would have pages we will soon write.
the exam room thinking I was bargained to learn. Through it I spilled onto my paper if it was And now, it is ti me for me to
going to take an exam for the gained the friendship of other not for the people who stood write a new beginning! F
22 | FLAME