Stop it, you have a gift

This is a message for all those who have thought about quitting writing, either temporarily or permanently. If you have a gift and use it to touch hearts or minds, you have a responsibility to use it.<br><br>As an MD and researcher, I read scientific articles for a living. In all that reading, I have encountered a grand total of four articles that have made me cry because they were so beautifully written. Yesterday I cried over an article about the psychological effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on toddlers. The science was fascinating, but what really touched me was the poetic language used by the authors. I felt like I was floating through the present moment in a dream, untouched by the horrors of reality.<br><br>I have no idea who those authors are and probably never will, but I want them to know that they are making a difference. Whether they write fiction or non-fiction, academic articles or journalism, they have the ability to inspire us, to educate us, to heal us. I know that many of us feel like we're just throwing words into a void, but that void echoes back to us at unexpected moments. Sometimes it's a whisper, sometimes it's a shout, but it always touches a heart. There’s a saying that goes: “The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination.” If you have the power to imagine, create, express yourself and inspire others, then you have a gift.<br><br>Please don't give up, no matter how tough it gets. We need you now more than ever.