By Nrl Liya
Edited by Harith Syafiee
A pen can be much more powerful than a sword. A common phrase mostly echoed in academia as we spend hours and days scouring for knowledge by any means accessible, even if it is for an assignment's sake. But moments like these, even if it is under the obligation and driven by the need for the letter ‘A’, have allowed us to know more of the world, even an inch.
Humans are connected to nature in ways that we sometimes forget. How interconnected we are to the environment that we allow ourselves to be in—every sunlight and raindrop has spared us a moment to reflect on our passing on this earth. It is the same for me; for every piece of scenery in Studio Ghibli flashed on the screen, it reminded me of how beautiful a world could be if our eyes were unclouded. From the raw lines delivered by the character to the small moment of the cat yawning in its sleep, all of it has graced me with much deeper thoughts about life. And as humans that are filled with thoughts, there is a need for an outlet.
And so, I write.
“We don't read and write poetry because it's cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. And medicine, law, business, engineering—these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life.” -John Keating, Dead Poets Society.
Writing is a powerful way to let our thoughts run for miles and miles, whether on a greenery-filled hill with wildflowers or through the chaos of a destroyed city. Sometimes this is how I felt when I wrote my articles; it could be breezy writing about my love for Hayao Miyazaki’s artwork and other times thundering to form a coherent opinion on its complexity. No matter how amateur my writing and opinion are, I am glad to be able to share my thoughts.
Holding a pen (figuratively, of course, as I write on a laptop) has allowed me to look at things differently and critically. Allowed me to understand the meaning behind storytelling and filmmaking on a deeper level. Before, Studio Ghibli was just a whimsical and comfortable watch filled with pretty animation, but now it is much more. It is a valuable life lesson embedded in animation that bursts with passion for life. I am the mind of a young heart who is in dire need to make sense of the world, and it has assisted me.
There is so much you can learn from digesting these stories—to learn a valuable lesson without the need for such an adventurous life. How can I not write them?
Without starting my journey of writing here, I would not have appreciated Studio Ghibli films as much as I do now. How maddeningly amazing Hayao Miyazaki’s talent is in world-building and creating complex yet whimsical characters. How a young girl’s heart like KIki, Chihiro, Sophie, and many more are not any lesser than others, for it is filled with a burning passion for life itself.
Writing has led me to clarity, even if the path is not always forward. Through writing, I’ve come to see that the pen’s true power lies not in its sharpness but in its ability to help me navigate the winding paths of my own thoughts and feelings.
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