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Writing a Goodbye Letter to My Former Self
24 September 2021
Dear Bill,
Did you see the Emmys last Sunday? Me neither. I don’t watch award shows like I did when I was younger because I think the media is oversaturated with too many of those programs. Anywho, did you know that Michaela Coel won an Emmy for Best Writing in Television Limited Series or Movie for her fantastic HBO miniseries I May Destroy You? She gave a brief inspirational speech I watched online and shared on social media that was directed toward writers, which included the following comments:
“Write the tale that scares you, that makes you feel uncertain, that isn’t comfortable. I dare you — in a world that entices us to browse through the lives of others to help us better determine how we feel about ourselves, and to in turn feel the need to be constantly visible, for visibility these days seems to somehow equate to success — do not be afraid to disappear from it, from us for a while, and see what comes to you in the silence.”
Wow! I’ve been marinating on Ms. Coel’s comments all week regarding my creative endeavors. There have been times when I’ve been afraid to write or to share some things about me…