PROFICIENCY IS A PROCESS

(From Facebook.)

I was just reading Neile DeGrasse Tyson's statement about how you will be surprised at how good you become at something if you keep working on it. Of course, it helps if you have a basic talent in that particular thing.

I've always had a basic talent and urge toward writing, even as a kid, mocking up newspapers on scrap paper. When I started wrting in letter answering, I was extremely wordy and Dr. Zimmermann kept sending my drafts back loaded with red ink deletions and simplifications. Over time, I learned to get to the meat of things and now, other members of our free thought group turn to me when they want something boiled down and simplified. It's developed into a knack.

Life is like that. We improve as we do, if we pay attention and try. I learned techniques of cutting up vegetables by watching a chicano chef making salsa at a wedding. It's how children absorb things so fast. They observe. Then, they try to do it and observe some more. Soon, they're proficient. I still have some things in my handwriting that came from my first grade teacher.

Writing has now become a compulsion with me. I don't feel the day is complete if I haven't written something connected with the analytical thoughts that spring spontaneously from my mind. My poor audience is left with either hating or enjoying it. (I appreciate those "likes." That's applause to a writer.)