The festive spirit is in full swing and every nook and corner of Big Apple is throbbing with joy. Halloween is here! Aaliyah and I were back from Brooklyn after a drive. Aaliyah wanted to check Spirit Halloween’s collection for decoration. The doorbell rang, it was Fred.
He hugged us. As we got in and sat, Aaliyah made his favorite beverage which is black coffee without any flavor. Fred was preoccupied with thoughts and was gazing outside the window. “Hey, Fred! What happened?” I asked.
“Bob, do you think my poems can be published? Like are they good enough?” he asked. “Suddenly why are you asking this?” I asked. “So, in my last trip, I made a few friends. They heard me reciting my poems. Some gave a reading to them while we were lazing around. They advised me to go ahead and publish my work,” he replied. “That’s great. Go for it then,” I expressed.
“No, I am not sure if it is a wise thing to do. I never thought that way. I don’t know if people are going to like it,” he said. Fred is a good poet. His poetry gives precise expression to the current scenario of our society. Poetry runs in every vein of his body. However, the thought of letting his work come in the limelight for a large audience is giving him cold feet. He is lacking faith in himself.
“Fred, I know you never wrote anything for getting it published. It was just out of passion and love for poetry. However, don’t you think that the experiences that you have gathered over time and summed up in beautiful verses will really be a good read and have a developmental impact on others?” I asked.
“Honestly, I’m hesitant. What if it isn’t received well?” he asked. It is very important to have confidence in oneself. Fred needed a boost now.
“You know Fred, lacking faith in yourself will harm your self-esteem. You wrote poems for the sake of expression even if out of hundred it touches only one heart, isn’t it a great achievement? It is not easy to strike the heart’s chord. Whether people acknowledge or not, you reaching out to them is all that should matter to you. It will help people to delve deep into humanity and build the community spirit,” I expressed.
“Moreover, we all know how good you are! You must give a try! ” Said, Aaliyah. “Unless you are convinced and feel confident, our words will be of no good use to you. If you feel scared then maybe take one step at a time. Show it to a small group of experts you know and see what they have to say from a critical point of view,” I further added.
“Alright, Bob. I will take it ahead one step at a time. I will do as you have said. If need be, I will work on my poems and make it more refined and then take a further call,” said Fred.
I felt glad that Fred was no more hesitant and sounded a lot more confident now. “That’s the spirit! Let your creativity stir and conquer the deepest human emotions and make the world a better place. Just go for it!” I expressed.
Never let self-doubt ever raise a question to your talent and capability. Lack of confidence can yield to wrong mindset and significantly reduce the chances of victory. Let your work speak and the doubt fades away in silence. Nothing should diminish your spirit. Have faith in yourself always!
Chocolate Day
October 28, 2019
