Even as a seven year old, I loved writing. I owned hundreds of little notebooks filled with make believe stories and meaningless doodles. I loved living in a world of imagination that I created all by myself. Writing has always been my escape, a safe place for my mind to express its emotions free from meaningless distractions.

I carried my miniature pink butterfly notebook with me everywhere—from my sister’s basketball tournaments to church every Sunday morning. I grasped its binding like it was the only thing that mattered to me. I buried my head deep in between its blank pages, waiting for my imagination to inspire my next story, my next escape. I imagined myself in a wonderland full of mythical creatures and wildlife. I imagined having a whole new existence in a magical world created by me. Although my writing was just a hobby, these silly fictional stories brought me so much joy and introduced the passion I have for writing. 

Ten years have passed and I still love to write. I find comfort in discovering the perfect words to portray my emotions. Writing has helped many aspects of my life and drives my creativity. In my free time I write short stories on my computer and in my personal writing notebook. As I start writing, I automatically feel comfort and a sense of nostalgia. I feel as if I am seven years old again, writing in my small butterfly notebook without a care in the world. Another aspect of writing that I love is the ability to share it with others. I specifically share my short stories with my mother, who also loves to write, and she gives me her feedback and opinions. Receiving feedback from her has always driven me to become a better writer and feel proud of my pieces. Writing, no matter what style, has always brought me joy and I consider it one of my strongest passions. I am confident in my writing skills and hope to one day pursue writing at a higher level.

My whole life I have heard statements such as “you can only become truly accomplished at something you love” and “the only way to do great work is to love what you do.” I never deeply thought about these quotes until recently, as I am trying to choose a major for college. I find it difficult to search for jobs and not automatically wonder about the salary and its benefits but I remind myself that money does not, in fact, buy happiness. I should never determine what I do with my life based on income because finding something you are passionate for and truly loving what you do everyday is more rewarding than a paycheck. Being a writer never occurred to me as something I wanted to pursue as a career because I considered it an enjoyable hobby. However, deep down I have always loved writing, and I’ve now realized that I should find my future career enjoyable. My dream is to become a known writer/author and have an influence on people’s thoughts and emotions. My dream is to love my future career and continue my passion to write.