大象传媒

From Guvna B, rapper and author:
I鈥檝e been writing quite a bit lately. Thoughts, reflections, and lyrics on anything that inspires me. It鈥檚 funny because growing up I didn鈥檛 really think I was good at anything, especially writing. Rather than applying myself, I adopted the role of 鈥榗lass clown,鈥� as a cry for help, a call-out to be noticed. I ended up in my headteachers office quite often but one occasion really changed the trajectory of my life forever.聽
Sounds epic but it was actually really simple. Mrs Aanonson, sat me down one day after I had been messing around and I was expecting to get the standard telling off but she said, 鈥淵ou need to behave, Isaac. I don鈥檛 see why someone as good and gifted at English as you feels the need to cause trouble in class.鈥� She said. 鈥楪ood at English? Me?鈥� Those words hit me like a bullet. Truth is, I鈥檇 never thought about it. Writing was something I did at school because I had to, not for pleasure or because I wanted to.聽
I grew three foot in the course of that conversation. I don鈥檛 think I sat in English class the same from that day. I floated in it, and it took just two words to get me there, 鈥楪ood鈥� and 鈥楪ifted鈥�. Mrs Aanonson changed my life because she made me believe in myself. I thrived in my English class and grew to love writing. I wouldn鈥檛 yet say that I found it a way of expressing my true self, but it put me in touch with the rhythm of words. I often wonder if I can do for others what my head teacher did for me.聽
Words of encouragement that probably didn鈥檛 cost her much, meant everything to me. There are loads of well-documented barriers to success for young people and challenges that they face.聽 For me, it can become overwhelming processing this and the problem can appear so big that little old me probably can鈥檛 do anything to make it better. But then I think actually, what if encouraging someone was enough. What if all I did was try to spot the gold in people and tell them about it? Maybe that could be me doing my bit.聽 聽And if you鈥檙e listening, thanks Mrs Aanonson.