Nupur Chaturvedi

When I teach writing skills, I find that the conversation often goes beyond writing to cover social, emotional, and very subliminal aspects of communication. Being in the communication industry, it is natural for me to equate language skills with work and tasks. It’s the same for my colleagues as well. However, what starts out as a discussion on what works for writing, takes on its own life. Sometimes the discussion goes towards the obvious direction of writing for fun. Other times, it goes into seemingly unrelated territory.

I found, for instance, today, the discussion going towards my father’s illness and death and how the communication strategies of different doctors worked (or didn’t) during that traumatic phase. To communicate the seriousness of an illness without going to the extremes of alarming or raising false hopes is a very thin, tightrope to tread on. How do you get the right level of neutrality in content as well as tone?

I also found the discussion going towards how the act of writing was meditative and therapeutic. That it’s about having a conversation with yourself–the most honest conversation of all.

Which brings me to the point that me not writing (aside from work) must mean that I didn’t have time or inclination to have that conversation. Well, I’m glad I started.

A mirror there is
But I’m not sure
If it’s me this side or that
The reality and myth coexist
Under one roof as conjoined twins
Where do you dissect to make sure each is whole?
How do you stop them from becoming one?
There, I spoke! Now I know.