Little Things Are Big Essay

A World of Mystery

I began my investigation business at the age of six. Growing up with two brothers, I learned quickly that my personal belongings were in no way personal. My toys became public property and would disappear whenever I focused my attention on something else; I was six years old, so this happened a lot. I would have to hunt for my belongings and follow the clues that eventually lead me to the culprit of the crime. I loved mysteries and dreamt of my life becoming a real-life crime novel. I knew that this dream was unrealistic and would never come to fruition, but after reading about Alex Rider the spy, I decided to create my own.

I took my passion for mystery and transferred it into the form of mystery novels. Alex Rider was a young spy who gave my childhood, containing a mere four TV channels that were devoted to news alerts, more excitement than what I was used to. The Alex Rider Series, written by Anthony Horowitz, gave my passion new meaning and opened me up to the enthralling world of literature.

After I began diving into Anthony Horowitz’s mystery series, I found the proper motivation to pursue my own story. To become an author and write my own novel was liberating; I got to decide what the plot twists were and how each character was developed. It was my own story where I could personify my own dreams onto a piece of paper. I finished my first mystery novel when I was a 6^th grader, typing on a desktop computer that only had two major functions: paint and notepad. I spent the bulk of my free time on the clunky desktop that weighed more than I did.

I desperately wanted to share my story and discover what other readers thought of my work. My parents were obligated to tell me that it was the best piece of literature they’ve ever read (which wouldn’t have been far from the truth), but I wanted an impartial opinion. I shared my story with a family member who had a doctoral degree in education. He returned my story to me the next day and said the five words that destroyed my aspirations: “Needs a lot of work.” My heart sank in my chest. What did that even mean? From a professional standpoint, I’m sure he was spot on, but I don’t think he understood how he had shattered my spiritual innocence with the amount of words that could be counted on one hand. I had taken something I was passionate about and shared it with the outside world. The outside world then showed me how sharing what you care about is dangerous because it leaves you vulnerable and open to pain, which can cause you to lose some of your passion.

The world I had grown up in had left me, taking my inspirations with it. I realized just how cruel the world was after this incident. Alex Rider’s adventures suddenly became less interesting. My own interests in literature were nonexistent. I began to look for new ways to spend my time, away from this world of creation where dreams were not meant to leave your mind. It wasn’t until I entered high school and the charming glow of Jay Gatsby entered my world through a door that had remained untouched for several years. This was when the dangerous idea I had found as a middle school student began creeping its way back to my thoughts. Perhaps there are some dreams that are meant to escape your mind and enter the physical world, no matter how dangerous releasing them may be.