I write, therefore I am

Why do I write? The question actually is, why can’t I STOP writing? Since I was a small child, I’ve been obsessed with writing down my thoughts, daily events (today we got a new dog!) and feelings. I’ve dabbled in (bad) poetry, quickly abandoned diaries and short stories. Blogging was the natural progression of my obsession with words.

I’ve often wondered why an introvert like myself likes putting her most personal feelings out there on the internet for everyone to see, when I have trouble talking about the same things in person with close friends. I can only describe writing as a cathartic process, something that makes me feel like once I have put these feelings on paper (or blog) that they can be washed away and the next day can start afresh.

I’m obsessed with recording life. Photographs litter my drawers, thousands of images clog my hard drive. Boxes of diaries with only a few entries are stacked in my wardrobe. Blogging is such an easy way to capture memories as well as feelings, and to put them somewhere that they can’t be lost.

I’ve always found it easier to express myself in writing than through speaking. A sensitive, anxious child grew into a guarded adult who prefers speaking to the void of the internet than looking into the empathetic eyes of friends when talking about things that are hard. Typing the words is somehow easier than saying them. Writing enables me to distance myself from emotions and articulate myself in a way I’m unable to otherwise do so.

Writing for me is like breathing. I write every day, even if it’s just an epic email to a friend. It’s no surprise that I prefer texting to voice calls, and emails to Skype. The written word is essential.