I took a whole week off, and I don’t just mean from work. I mean, from life. I didn’t go much of anywhere and I didn’t do any writing of my own, so that I would be refreshed and alert for my very important role judging a teen writing contest. Obviously, I can’t divulge any top secret winner news, but let me just say, I was humbled to read the amazing writing that had been submitted.
What keeps surprising me is the complete honesty with which teenagers write. I’ve always believed, “If you want the truth, ask a four-year-old. He’ll tell you exactly how fat those pants make you look.” But really, if you want the face-to-face, soul-baring truth, ask a teenager.
Unfortunately, no one seems to ask teenagers too often about their thoughts on things. But you guys are brilliant. You’re inquisitive, you’re out there in the reality of now, and most importantly, you are not afraid. You might have day-to-day things that hold you back, but in the face of the truth you are willing to stand up and say what needs to be said. I applaud you for that.
And just as unfortunate, there aren’t a lot of forums besides writing where you have the choice to speak your truth. So write. Write often and write a lot. Then put it out there, even if it’s just on a blog like this one. But write.
