And I enjoy it
Photo by Daniel Thomas on Unsplash
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the whole world. According to WHO, over 6.5 million people died. Everybody’s lives have been disrupted. The news in every media is full of tragedy.
Here I dare focus on the silver lining. How many can I find in my life?
The second Spring Equinox Day was approaching since the outbreak of COVID-19. The expectation that the pandemic would be over by start of the new year was waning. The chocolate shop where I used to teach Ikebana was still shut down. How much longer would it last?
It must have been one of the email marketing messages. Akimbo was offering a new workshop, called Writing in Community. The tagline was “publish a book in 6 months.”
I had stopped posting my blog for a while because there was nothing to update about. Tea ceremony events I used to host had to be put on hold because of the pandemic. I had no intention to write a book, but I thought it a good opportunity to brush up my English writing skill. What have I got to lose?
I signed up for the workshop and started following the instruction.
I was Cohort # (I already forgot!). There were about 15 people in my cohort. Whenever I wrote something new, I was advised to let my cohort know. A couple of people read my updates and left me some feedback.
I wrote about what Ikebana is. The next day I got questions like “how do you do that? Show me your photos.” I kept on writing how I put together my arrangement step by step with photos attached. Then I wrote about tea ceremony. My cohort would ask, “how do you feel when make tea?” So I would respond by exploring my mental stage while I make a bowl of tea.
Cohort’s comments and questions led me from one chapter to another, and from touching surface to digging deeper.
Eight to nine o’clock every morning became my holy time to sit down and write. By the time when the workshop was over 6 months later, I accumulated about 6 or 7 chapters. About Ikebana, tea ceremony, kimono, Urushi (Japanese lacquer), etc.
A couple of months later I took my writing to one of the local publishers. He showed an interest in co-publishing my book. Really?
Well, I have no idea when my book will be published. To be honest, it doesn’t matter much anymore. My writing must have been horrible anyway. And my desire to write has been somewhat ignited. That was enough.
Then I rediscovered this Medium platform and started posting my article.
About Day 10 in my 30-Day Writing Challenge, I received an email from my old boss, out of blue. He told me that he is enjoying reading my article. What a nice surprise!
The sense that someone I respect deeply is reading my article, has pushed my back. It’s worth continuing. I don’t know where this will lead me. But for now, let me continue this new venture.
That’s all thanks to the pandemic.
What’s your silver lining?