The Heart And Hand Connection

In our final Writing Story, Gauri Trivedi writes about how she finds joy and contentment with writing.

Gauri, in her own words: I am a former corporate law professional who makes the law at home these days. A Mom to two lovely daughters, my days are filled with constant learning and non-stop fun. All of my “me” time goes into writing and finds itself on http://messyhomelovelykids.blogspot.com/ and if I am not writing, I am definitely reading something!

The bell rang. It was the first of the day, half an hour into the 3 hour examination paper. All fifth graders writing the English paper that day increased their pace slightly, after all they still had enough time to finish. The supervisor strolled through rows of bowed heads and furious hands writing away, occasionally glancing into an answer sheet. She paused at a table, something caught her eye. “How come you are already on the 5^th question?” she asked a student who resisted a frown at the interruption.

“No, ma’am, I started with my essay first” the student replied, eager to get back to her writing. The person in command took the answer sheet in her hand and flipped through the pages to verify. Seven fluid pages on a given topic, the girl wasn’t lying. “Ok, ok, you better hurry up now, or else you won’t be able to finish all the questions,” the supervisor reprimanded lightly, with a bit of appreciation mixed in her tone.

So you see, my writing story actually began long, long ago. Only then, I knew nothing about the power of words or their significance in my life.

Years passed by and the paper-pen combination continued to play an important role in my achievements and attachments. The ability to express through the written word came to my rescue under dire circumstances.

In every examination, where numbers confused me and left me with just enough marks to survive, the words arrived, into my head and on the paper, giving the overall results a respectable standard. The very first love letter I wrote was rendered useless not because of lack of words, but the excess of them! Whenever faced with a situation that warranted an apology, I found it easier to say sorry on paper than in person.

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During the remainder of my education, I wrote as often as I could and in forms that came across as a part of the academics. Essays, notes, speeches, presentations, school magazines, journals; I wrote happily and spontaneously. But in all those years, never did I consider writing as my core strength or a valid career option. Funny how I always mentioned reading as my hobby when I spent an equal amount of time writing! Did writing make me happy or did I write when I was content? How I wish I had taken a moment to think about it.

And then came a time when we drifted apart, me and my writing routine. Yes, I stopped writing as naturally as I took to it. It wasn’t deliberate. It just happened. I got busy with other things in life and those other things offered less of an opportunity to write. The day I had to write something at length during the course of work, I came back home with a big smile on my face, content and feeling productive. That sensation itself should have told me a lot about where my heart lay, but somehow, I failed to pick up the signs.

While I let go of my writing for demanding schedules, it was in solitude that I set out to reclaim the same. A few years back, I found myself pushed against a corner, trapped and helpless in a confinement of my own creation. Motherhood bound me closer to family and home and in ways unknown it slowly separated me from myself. Amidst the chatter and the chaos, I felt alone and ambitionless. Out of sheer boredom and as a last resort, I opened up a new word document and started typing words, scared and uncertain. To my surprise, they came out effortlessly and intact. They were there, all the time, patiently waiting for me to come looking for them. Thankfully, even when I left them, the words never left me. The ‘heart and hand connection’ wasn’t lost or forgotten, it had been merely pushed back, out of visible sight.

After a fair share of ups and downs, today, my desire to write and I have reached equilibrium, a solid ground. Answers came to me unasked and therefore, now I know; I write because it is impossible for me not to. I call it the heart and hand connection. Whatever the heart feels, my hand is adept to write it out and whatever the hand writes, the heart believes in it.

I believe words, once they come on print, become immortal. Their significance leaves a mark sooner or later and brings recognition to its rightful owner, the author! The journey of my writings may have had a humble beginning but I believe if a chord has been touched, fame will follow.

My writing may or may not win me accolades; it has already bestowed invaluable rewards. It has given me the power to speak my mind, make a point and reach out to people. Most importantly, it brings to me, an incredible sense of accomplishment for every word written and those yet unwritten.

Gauri wins a gift hamper from Notex, a paper based stationary brand that makes high quality books, diaries, writing pads, 5 subject books and other products! You can check out Notex products at Shopo, Flipkart or Homeshop 18.

*Photo credit: Bread For The World (Used under the Creative Commons Attribution License.)

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