One of the challenges of writing is starting; simply banging away at the keys or scribbling words on a piece of paper is a process that can be daunting in itself.  However, it doesn’t have to be that way.  A great man who once mentored a budding writer said, “Don’t think.  Just write.”  Granted, that great man was William Forrester and the budding writer being mentored was Jamal Wallace in Finding Forrester, but that’s not the point.  What he was trying to convey to Jamal was not to complicate the process.  When it comes to writing, the first draft is written with your heart, and the second draft is written with your head.  When a person writes from the heart, that person is being authentic.  Authenticity doesn’t always equal a terrific piece of writing, but it does equal an honest piece of writing.  The goal when it comes to writing about Malcolm X is just that: an honest piece of writing, a piece of writing written from the heart.

Tomorrow, May 19th, is the birthday of Malcolm X, who would have turned 91 years old.  One of the biggest things that has always struck a chord is the lack of reverence for X in relation to other historical figures in the world of history.  The reasons for the lack of reverence are open to discussion and there are likely some plausible ones.  However, for someone whose words, actions and transformation played such an integral part in this life, and still do, it’s hard to imagine that he isn’t more revered.