THE PENNY PUB

I Write to Make a Difference

The motivation is in my genes

Vidya Sury ©

I must have been three years old. My mom taught third graders at home after school. She kept me busy with a piece of chalk so I could draw on the red oxide floor in our rather large and bare living room. Because I was curious and wanted to “read” with the other kids, she’d write the alphabet on the floor so I could copy it.

Not very long after, I could figure out words. She’d say something and I’d write it. And that is when I started writing. I also started drawing — a cup of coffee for her. A book. Shoes for my uncle. A sari for my aunt.

I worship the written word and the spoken word. I owe my love for writing to my Mom and my uncles, who always encouraged me to express myself on paper. And read, of course. We had a massive library at home.

Writing is like breathing to me. It is a wonderful outlet, liberating, opening up new perspectives, and teaching tolerance. When I read something I wrote years ago, I enjoy seeing how I have learned, grown, and changed. Sometimes, I am proud of what I wrote and sometimes, I feel I could have done better. Journaling is such wonderful therapy!

One of my earliest writing exercises was diary writing. My mom always encouraged me to keep a journal. It improved my…