Maria Ayala
(Photos courtesy of Abraham-Hicks……)
I used to facilitate a women’s writer’s group in 2002. It was a group at Bienestar, a non-profit center for Latino LGBT people. One of the members always wanted a writing prompt. If I gave a prompt that she thought was too, “general”, she would freak out. She needed something very specific. She would get all anxious, and worked up, for nothing.
I should have told her, to just flow with her writing, and not worry so much about the structure. I should have told her that in all of her fussing, she would not be able to simply allow for the flow of creativity to go through her. I didn’t quite know how to put it into words back then. I know, very ironic.
I have been a writer my whole life. I started writing poetry at age 12. I read a poem for the first time in elementary school. It was a newspaper that catered to kids. I thought that rhyming poem I read was the most beautiful thing ever. I fell in love with poetry. That’s how it all started for me.
What I didn’t know was that my paternal grandfather, was a reporter for the Mexican Observer Newspaper. He mostly covered the bull fights, and other sports related stories.
As creative people, we have to remember that allowing, and trusting the process is half the battle. It isn’t so much sophisticated skill, as patience, and just being yourself. This takes time I guess. Maybe the younger you are the harder it is to find your voice, unless you put it to use every single day.
