"Writing" by Leslie Cruz

Today, I write because I want to.  I am encouraged.  I am inspired.  I need to do something for myself.  Yesterday, I wrote because I had to.  I was forced to join Bamboo Shoots.  I joined a national writing contest for young writers and won second place. A banner announcing the victory hung outside the school.  The Children’s Media Center insisted the trophy belonged to the school. I wrote a haiku in 4^th grade.  I remembered the first two lines up until 2012.  I wrote a “book” – How the Rabbit Got Its Cotton Tail – in elementary school that was illustrated by my classmate, Mai Long.  We won a prize.  She kept the book.  She said since she illustrated it and did more work than my writing, it should be hers.  I became the editor in chief of Bamboo Shoots when I was in 5^th grade.  Phil de Imus argued with me and said HE was the editor.  I think I wrote for the school paper in Middle School.  I think I wrote for the school paper in 5^th and 6^th form.  I was Features Editor for The MHC News. I had to fight for the position.  Claudia Acunto became Managing Editor her freshman year.  I took a Creative Writing class my last semester of senior year.  I wrote about the bridge of sighs in Venice.  Mrs. McHenry said Venice evoked a “sinister mystique”.   I wish I took it earlier.  I threw out my essays in the midst of a cleaning frenzy.  I should have saved them. A reminder of my college senior self.  I was a staffer of the Ateneo Law Journal. I write on a daily basis for work as a lawyer. I love writing letters and post cards.  I hate writing e-mail messages to friends; they deserve a hand-written letter or a post card at the very least.  I bought a journal with writing prompts.  It remains unopened. I re-wrote the last line of my fourth grade haiku some time in 2012.  It was printed on a fan.  I can no longer find the fan.  I had to compose a new haiku for Randy Bustamante.  Instead of acting out a scripted monologue for a “talent” show, I wrote my own.  A friend said she would read my writing.  My heart leapt.  I was encouraged.  I was inspired.  I took a leap and did something for myself – I enrolled in this class.  My artistry is writing.