Welcome to the weekly editions of Enchanted Letters.
Introducing Enchanted Letters
Do you believe in magic? As a child, I did. I used to believe in fairies, enchanted forests, witches, and pots of gold at the end of the rainbow. I used to believe in finding a three-leaf clover, for luck. I used to believe in mermaids, goblins, and talking ravens. As a child, I used to believe in endless possibilities, and that the world was my oyster with plenty of shiny pearls to be harvested.
Growing up, I began to feel the limits the society sets on us as human beings. And gradually, the world no longer seemed like a big sea of possibilites. I shrunk myself into a mould that fit the society’s demands.
I had a big, colorful imagination. I had a way with coming up with ideas. I had a way with words. All I needed was a pen, and I could write. I could tell stories, I could write about life and truth, I could write about happiness, and grief, I could paint a whole world with just my words.
As soon as I realized I could weave magic with words, that I could use them to enchant myself and others, I knew that was my true calling.
But for a long time, I was too afraid to try. To take risks, to put out my words to the world. All I wanted to do was write, and share all the worlds that lived inside me.
I wanted to write. I wanted to write in cafes, sipping on coffee and enjoying flaky croissants. I wanted to write at home, from the comfort of my bed, with the wind gently blowing in from the open window, with birds singing in the backdrop. I wanted to write in the warm glow of a sunrise all pink and orangey. I wanted to write deep into the blackness of night, with the stars twinkling above me. I wanted to write next to the seaside, with the waves crashing against the rocks. I wanted to write during thunderstorms, with the rain lashing outside. I wanted to write high up in the mountains, where the trees whispered, and the clouds lowered themselves to the ground like ethereal beings.
I just wanted to write.
But I didn’t. Not for many, many years. At some point I even gave up my dream of being a writer, and told myself it wasn’t meant to be.
The thing about following your true calling, is that it requires a healthy amount of courage. And I’m ashamed to admit that I didn’t have courage for the longest time. I kept running away from what I was meant to be.
I kept saying, ‘one day’. But that day never came. We all know there’s no such thing as ‘one day’. Because ‘one day’ always lives in the future. There’s only one thing that truly matters. The present. The right now. Not some abstract ‘one day’.
The thing is though, I still think I haven’t found true courage yet, so maybe it’s not even courage that I need. Maybe I just need to jump in, and see where it takes me.
I’m still scared. I’m still hesitant. I’m so nervous. My heart pounds at the thought of showing my words to the world, of displaying my heart and soul to the universe. But my heart also pounds, and my soul also shrivels, when I think of not writing.
So no, I haven’t found the courage. I don’t think I ever will. Because courage, like one day, also seldomly comes to reality. I just have to take a leap, and hope that I land in a field of jasmines instead of plunging myself into a deep, frigid sea.
If I don’t jump, I’ll never know what could have been. I don’t want to be 80 years old, and look back and regret all the stories I didn’t write down.
Why the name Enchanted Letters?
I don’t really believe in magic anymore. At least not in the type of magic where fairies live in enchanted forests, or where there are treasures at the end of the rainbow.
But I do believe that there’s a certain type of real-life magic, that’s often overlooked. It’s the magic of words. I truly think that words hold an enchantment, and can weave magic with their power.
Words can make wishes come true, but words can also cast spells and curses. Words can make or break our hearts, and words can transport us to worlds beyond our imagination. So truly, it’s words that bring the true magic to our lives.
And thus the name, Enchanted Letters. I want my newsletter to make you believe in magic once again. The magic of living life, the magic of stories, the magic of reading words that hopefully heal some part of you.
What can you expect from the Enchanted Letters weekly newsletter?
Thought pieces: Life musings with a sprinkling of magic here and there.
Fiction: Short stories that make you believe in magic, and transport you to a world of possibilities.
The Hard Stuff: Real truths, about failure and dreams not coming true.
A Peak into: My journey as I write my debut fantasy novel, the idea for which I came up with about ten years ago.
A Little Bit About Me
If you’ve read till here, I’m sure you want to learn a little bit about me.
My name is Wajeeha Nadeem, and I hail from the wonderful little country called Pakistan. But if you look closely at that envelope on the top of this page, you’ll see I have links with other countries such as Japan (where I spent part of my childhood), the United Kingdom where I went to university for my postgrad, and Bahrain (where I’ve spent more than a decade of my life, with my husband and two children).
Every country I’ve lived in, holds a special place in my heart, and has shaped me to be who I am today. And so it was important to me that I make it a part of my newsletter identity.
I’m also a food blogger, and have been running my recipe website I Knead to Eat (ikneadtoeat.com), since 2015. It all started from my love of cooking, and writing. I have an estranged relationship with my blog, but I love it all the same.
I love being a mother, I love writing, I love attempting at art and you’ll probably see some of my journey of painting despite being ridiculously bad at it. Because why should I miss out on the joy of painting, even if I’m terrible at?
If you’ve made it so far I would love for you to subscribe to the Enchanted Letters newsletter.
I look forward to writing to you.
Wishing you a wonderful day,
Wajeeha ♡
