why i write

“’How can I know what I think until I read what I write?” the former Times columnist James Reston — quoted by Quindlen in her final “Life in the 30s” column, in December 1988 — once wrote.

I found this gem while reading Judith Warner's goodbye from her Domestic Disturbances column in the New York Times. I used to look forward to starting my weekends off with a fresh piece every Friday during college. Though I grew out of reading it last year, today I was overcome with a nostalgic yearning and wondered what had happened to my beloved column. While it saddens me that Warner's column came to an end, I am now thinking about how much joy it brought to me in my lonely moments and am thankful for the power of words to comfort, entice, and entertain the reader.

In preparation for my interviews, I have to revert back to the essays I wrote in July. Love letters to each school, explaining my passion for medicine, detailing how eager I am to attend their lauded institution. Today I am amazed that I was able to churn out ~50 essays in such a short period of time (granted, many of them had similar themes and had minute variations from the next). I was re-reading three essays that I wrote for an upcoming interview, and I found myself quite delighted by my writing. I had forgotten what I had written, and am rather pleased by my responses to such open-ended questions.

Going along the lines of the opening quote, I believe writing is one of the truest forms of introspection. Blogging may seem a bit narcissistic, but I already look forward to next month, next year, or in five years, when I can look back and see what I've written today. To see growth, to see your self in your words is an experience that only you can create at any moment in time to enjoy in the future. It's like making wine.

And you know, it's rather fun to get to know your self. One of my favorite Starbucks cup quotes comes from Alain de Botton, when he says something like "The greatest difficulty in travel is that one must bring oneself along". But when you truly know yourself and are comfortable with who you have become and where you are going, then everything will be okay.