Write Badly.

Israelmore Ayivor said, “A person who wrote badly did better than a person who does not write at all. A bad writing can be corrected. An empty page remains an empty page.”

My handwriting is not easy on the eye. Sometimes, I even struggle to read what I have written. My baby sharks laugh at me often when I’m signing their school work or writing them notes. They wonder how my teachers read my work back in school. I think teachers are divinely equipped to see and go beyond the visible randomness of their students and bring out the greatness buried within. That is why it is a noble profession. To get away with it I tell my kids that maybe I was meant to be a doctor because we all struggle to read the prescriptions they give us hehe.

I even struggle to sign a document sometimes and I have often been asked at the bank to re-sign so that they can confirm if it’s legit. I think I write badly because my brain is thinking faster than my hands can write. I lack a certain calmness that folks with good handwriting have. Thanks to computers I can type my musings for you folks to read. If I were posting handwritten blogs, I would write for myself or just to a few die-hard supporters who don’t want to hurt my feelings.

Ayivor’s quote spoke to me for obvious reasons but on deeper reflection, it carried more meaning than just poor handwriting. I found it quite consoling for I am better with my lousy handwriting than one who doesn’t write at all.  Bad writing can be corrected though at 50 I’m not sure mine can haha.  Maybe my best bet is helping my totos write better than their father.

Israelmore says an empty page remains an empty page. You know that I have poor handwriting once I start scribbling on my blank page. Until I start writing you will never know of my doctor’s handwriting style hehe. Sadly, that’s where many folks are stuck. With clean empty pages that have no writing. Could it be that we don’t want to mess up the page with bad writing? Or maybe we don’t want others to see our handwriting and ridicule us. We go through life with empty pages because we are held back by limiting beliefs. We often hold back from doing what’s important for reasons (and people) that are not important.

Over the last three years, we have been cleaning up my dad’s stuff including notes he wrote in the past. Paper fades with time. The writing is still legible but the papers are no longer as white and crisp as they were when new. Every time I read something my Mzee wrote I learn more about him and the lessons are passed on to me even in his absence. I have come across a few blank pages in his books too. They are just that, blank and stained by age.

Folks imagine our lives being described like that at the end, blank and dulled by age. An old and empty page feels like a waste of paper. And the only way to avoid our lives being described that way is to start writing on the pages we have. The handwriting may improve as we go along or it may not but the point is to start writing our story with our deeds and even pen if you are inclined that way. I’ve just read a quote that emphasizes the writing part. I’m a writer so I confess I’m biased. It reads, “To experience time travel, read. To achieve immortality, write” I don’t know who wrote this but it sums up this article The quote doesn’t say to write if you have good handwriting. It just says to write. My dad’s writing both on paper and in deeds has achieved immortality for our family three years since he left us.

Myles Munroe once wrote that in the graveyard lies the most treasure. Folks who have left Earth and only left behind blank pages. They denied us the impact of their gifts and talents. I’m glad Myles wrote on his page through his speaking and books. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have learnt what I know from him to improve my life. I have often said on this page that the plan should be to die empty. Gen Zs recently showed us through the maandamanos (street protests) that the end of our fear is the beginning of freedom.

Folks if we want to live more authentic lives then we have to start writing irrespective of how our handwriting looks. May we not let people guess what kind of people we are. Let’s show them through the writing of our lives who we are and the unique value and colour we bring to. For if we remain silent and blank then our absence will not be felt when we expire. And if our absence is not felt then maybe our presence wasn’t necessary. Tell your story folks and start where you are and with what you have.

 [U1]