Born that way

“It’s none of their business that you have to learn to write. Let them think you were born that way.” - Ernest Hemingway

Violin by Vera Kratochvil

A writer comes in many different ways. Some claim that their destiny was fixed in them from the time they took their first breath or held a pencil in their hand. Others spend hours pouring over books, taking classes, practicing, to barely feel comfortable with the feel of writing. What some of us “born” writers neglect, is that even we make mistakes. Just because something runs in our heart, stronger than blood pumping to keep us alive, doesn’t mean that we are magically perfect.

This year I had a chance to do my very first violin solo for judges. I hacked away at that song for hours until is sounded decent, then I added some polishing touches. Wishing only to make it through alive. When I received the judges’ comments a week later, I found an unexpected compliment. It said: “You are a natural at the violin.” Upon showing it to my Mom, I said to her perplexed, “It takes me forever to learn a song. And I am so much slower learning the techniques. How could I be a natural.” She simply said: “Just because you are a natural, doesn’t mean that you don’t have to work hard.” I still didn’t believe it for a bit, but the concept cleared over time. Just because someone is born with a talent, doesn’t mean we don’t have to practice and learn that talent. But, like Ernest Hemingway said, “Let them think you were born that way.” And as long as the judge thinks I’m a natural, I won’t have to tell her how awful it sounded at first.