September 28, 2012

Dear Reader's Contest

(Below is my first entry to Dear Reader contest 2012 by Suzanne Beecher, which didn't come out as a winner, perhaps because of my English that still needs improvement.)


Hi Suzanne.

I’m Franisz from Indonesia. I never thought that I would enter your contest and write to you or about you, etc.even though I ever sent you an e-mail or two to ask or discuss something.

Now this is not a writing to flatter or compliment you much in the hope that I could win the contesteven though it is a good thing if I could win. But rather, it is a personal expression from me to you.

First of all, I am sorry if my English is still in the beginner level, since I am from Indonesia in which I use and speak more in Bahasaeven though that’s should not be an excuse.

Your writings have become blessings and have touched my heart since the first time I got to know your ministry through DearReader.com. I love your writings or the snippets thru Dear Readeralso the first sneak peak books from your Book Club.

I usually find answers from your writings―even from simple ones that sometimes, if I’m not wrong, once a while tears flow from my eyes because of your words of comfort. Perhaps you didn’t know or figure that they would touch others’ hearts and become answers they are seeking.

Secondly, I never thought―that is until I read your recent guest writer Gwendolyn Heasley filling in for you during your vacation week―that I have the same goal as a child just like yours, i.e. to be a missionary. I still have that dream though, and still wondering about it. How about you? But, even though perhaps we’re not missionaries right now, I believe we are through our words, writings for others who in need.

Well, to be honest―which is a huge challenge for writers to do―I’m running out of ideas to write at the time being. I mean I don’t know what to write at the moment I’m writing this. Even perhaps this piece becomes boring for some.

How great it is the power that people have in becoming liars, while on the contrary they can also show honesty, to be honest. And that, being honest, is my second goal after missionary. That may sounds childish, but perhaps it is because of my English, but deep in my heart writing and thinking or saying in Bahasa, it is true.

Am I chasing the 650 words limit rule right now? The more I am concerned in the total words goal, the more I feel that I don’t know what else to say. Yet, if I would just let my hands do the talk (I love italics between the normal words), and pour down into papers what’s in my heart, hopefully everything will be alright, every words will be at my side. Now words amount is important, but just like the way it feels to receive a salary a month, if we consider it too much, what we are writing and why do we do it, anyway?

(I’m a little bit glad near the words count.) Let me share one other thing with you.

I am currently on a project, i.e. to write a page per day. But, I have neglected it, especially starting in last August 2012. I didn’t write using pen and paper for a whole single month! It’s just because I chose not to write in a day, then a second day, and another day, on and on. I am hoping and acting, however, toward that failure so that I could be able to failing forward. Sounds childish still, eh? Yep, children do not recognize failure―it perhaps doesn’t even exist in their dictionary of life. Gwendolyn Heasley even asked, wasn’t it: “What Did the Kid Version of You Want to Be When You Grew Up?” If we are still alive, I hope that we could still have such attitude in our lives. Only a childish person who doesn’t want to be childish.