Dear Fellow,
Welcome to July! I hope you make the most of it, and that it affords you good memories.
I was listening to a worship song on Sunday; then a friend came to mind. Whenever that song is played, she comes to mind. I doubt if there is anything or anyone that can break that association in my memory. She shared the song with me when I was at a low point. When I need cheering, I sometimes play the song. This time around, I didn’t need cheering as such. My playlist was in a loop mood as I worked. The song reminded me of her, and then that I hadn’t mentioned my book launch to her. She is central to the book to not know a thing about the plans for it about a month before the launch. My book The University Library was dedicated to this dear friend of mine. I call her big sister.
Memento. According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, memento means “something that is kept as a reminder of a person, place, or thing.” I have numerous mementoes around me. More songs on my playlist bring specific people to mind. Making mementoes of books has become central to the reason why I purchase books in print. I got inspired to write this piece when I stumbled on the inscription I wrote in my journal on the day of its purchase.
Purchased on the 13th of January, 2023, my journal was purchased with a welfare package I got from the first school where I worked as a teacher. From the note, I was reminded that it was the first leatherback journal I ever owned. I smiled with gratitude when I read the note. It meant growth for me. It signified the actualisation of a dream and desire: I have always wanted one since 13 or way back. It signified my allegiance to the craft—of writing. Memento serves as reminders or warnings. Think about a wedding ring, etc.
The last memento I acquired is Zero to One by Peter Thiel with Blake Masters. It bears the inscription:
To Mark The Highest Single Pay From A Writing-Related Project Which Brought In ₦30,000.
It was only hope that kept me writing for free. I didn’t know what I would earn from writing since I took it seriously in 2019. The signs were somewhat discouraging; from Fiverr to Upwork, I couldn’t keep up with the scramble there. LinkedIn didn’t seem to have room for my kind of writing. Every space where writers made income seemed saturated and bullish for me. I kept on writing for free until someone gave me a contract to write for a growing website. What informed his reaching out to me was a survey of this newsletter and the other publications on RANDOM DESPATCHES. The very first pay I got from writing was in 2020: ₦2,500 for writing a draft for a seminar paper for a friend who was a postgraduate student. From that time to the ₦30,000 I earned sparingly from writing.
More awaits my becoming; opportunities abound for my preparations. Mementoes will be my reminders to press on—and encouragement, too, especially when no human is there.
William Faulkner reasons, “Memory believes before knowing remembers.” I will continue acquiring mementoes to preserve memories that fuel hope and faith before knowing anything thing about the distant feature. Memory is the vantage for looking into the future.
Keep mementoes, good Fellow.
Stay curious and keep learning.
Your LetterMan,
Tongjal, W. N.
Still on the run planning for my book launch. Kindly make a donation in support, especially if you enjoyed the content you have read so far on this newsletter:
Thank you, good Fellow.