| I was seven years old. | | | | I'm not going to harp on about this, only to say |
| The teacher began to get cross. | | | | that if we live our entire lives based on decisions |
| 'Robert, write down what's on the board or go to | | | | made by seven year olds, we wouldn't get very |
| the back of the class and stay there until you | | | | far. Yet we do this every day, and in many ways |
| have." | | | | we don't get very far. |
| When you're seven you don't master the | | | | This is a challenge I know, and it can be applied to |
| language, especially when you've been singled out | | | | any part of life. Start small. |
| in front of the class and told off. | | | | Look at all those beliefs, those 'I know best |
| Ten minutes later I still hadn't written anything, so | | | | because I'm experienced' bits of knowledge about |
| off to the back of the class I went until an hour | | | | our life and the world. All learned by experience, |
| after all the other kids had gone home. | | | | the news, other peoples opinions, probably based |
| My teacher, a kindly soul really who I'm sure just | | | | on decisions they made when they were seven |
| wanted the best for me, waited behind as well | | | | years old too! |
| and encouraged me to write. "You're not going | | | | I'm not saying they're wrong, nor right. Just that |
| home until you've finished; I can wait all night." | | | | the chances are they don't apply anymore, yet |
| "I cant" was all I could blurt out. | | | | we lives our lives by these decisions. |
| She should have known. I had new glasses, a | | | | Years after I'd allegedly grown up I began writing |
| patch over my 'good eye' and 'special drops' in | | | | again. Now I make my living our of writing, and |
| the other, to stop it being 'lazy'. | | | | running creative writing workshops and have |
| I don't know how that was supposed to work, | | | | written opinion columns in newspapers for more |
| but I did know I was virtually blind. All faces were | | | | than ten years. |
| blurs, and even at the front of the class the | | | | I even started my own newspaper, so I'd have |
| blackboard mingled with the wall and stayed fuzzy | | | | something fun to read. |
| with everything else. | | | | Here's a few I've heard recently. I wonder if |
| If there'd been nothing written on the board, I | | | | they're really true:o "I don't like heights."o "I don't |
| wouldn't have known. | | | | like fruit."o "I'm scared of monkey's." (!)o "Too |
| I eventually went home, and in my seven year | | | | many cooks spoil the broth."o "I've never been |
| old head made an important decision. | | | | able to do maths."o "I have never known how to |
| I didn't like writing. More than that, I COULDN'T | | | | iron clothes, and I'm too old to learn now." (37)o |
| write! And I had all that evidence to back my new | | | | "I'll always be broke. I always have been."o "I don't |
| story up, and would spend many years collecting | | | | drink water, it's bad for me." |
| more. | | | | Add your own to the list and have a closer look. |
| Based on a decision made by a confused half blind | | | | What if none of what we believe is really true? |
| seven year old whose eyes quickly improved, I | | | | One way to find out is to do all the things we say |
| told everyone who would listen that I hated | | | | we can't and see how we get on. Nothing at all to |
| writing. It was strange, because I had a dad who | | | | lose, and if it has anything to do with writing, art, |
| was a journalist and storyteller, and Grandfather | | | | creativity in any form, think of all the joy that |
| who was an editor for the Llanelli Star in South | | | | awaits. Not just for you, but the rest of us as |
| Wales. He was a Welsh Bard, I said "I cant write | | | | well. |
| for toffee!" | | | | |