I felt interested in writing when I was a child. Everything began by reading
old books which I found in a little bookcase in my grandma’s bedroom. By reading I wanted to write because I really admired how those authors from the old articles shown good attitude in writing. At this moment, I do not remember how much pages I wrote but at the end of each school year, it became a
great opportunity to collect blank sheets of paper from my old notebooks
and start writing what I felt and lived. I wrote about interesting things that centered my attention from a child's perspective. Unfortunately, I could not save those papers with me but
as a result of that past, now I am person who is very concern how much important is wirting as leaving evidences for the future. By the way, I have been in some important writing contests which
I had written with enough inspiration in order to attract the attention of the
readers.
I was in in my first
year of college when I won an important contest of writing called “Ramon
Oquely”. I did not want to participate in it, but I was informed about
the event in regarding my love for writing. I did not really feel inspired for
writing at that moment. During the process of studying at college, in Santa Rosa de Copan, I met a really nice friend. She is a professor at the university, and
her name is Lourdes. She was an important person in my personal and social development.
However, Lourdes knew my lack of motivation for participating in the contest. Besides that, she motivated me to being part of that event and she
expressed her wishes for me about winning the contest. Consequently, I did believe those
words taking enough time because at that moment I may have not learned how to believe in myself.
After the intervention
of my friend I began to write immediately. I did not know what to write about. But later, I put to my head the issue about what the contest was looking for. And there was when I perceived a cultural purpose in it. Although I have already written some cultural papers; in fact, my purpose was to write
something different. At the end, I got an idea about what to write. First of all, I see
a great opportunity to show the people my interest for our national culture.
That means that I directed my paper in the Mayan culture . I have been interested in the Mayans since a lot of time ago. I am really impressed about this civilization which gave us important contributions and mistery as well.
My main goal with this project was to let people know about one of the biggest civilizations in
the world, the Mayans. Therefore, I created a story about a child who became
the main character of the short tale. Finally, I got fascinated for the story of the
Mayans which was focused in a specific event happened to a little child
called “Xotlit”, this was the name of the main character and also of the whole story.
The day of the contest
was a prominent fact. I felt very unpatient and when I looked in the face of the
others participants I could observe the same expression.
The college has called three
good writers for being judges in the
contest. At the event arrived many people and all of them looked excited to hear about what was the
best story of the contest. I saw there some of my teachers which
felt surprised about me as a participant in that place.
The final hour come and the judges explained first why they have chosen
the winner story. I knew inmediately that that person was me. Efectively, the judges of the contest said my name as the winner. I felt so happy and surprised, but at the same
time so proud for my work. This project has become my first experience as a writer and now maybe I was more motivated to continue writing more. Now I believe more in myself that I have a special attribute of making others feel good and interested in what I write.
Published in December, 2015
By Elvin Herrera
