Here are the facts: I’m 16, an incoming senior, and a member ofthe majority of middle-class citizens in the Bay area. This is who I am, but it isn’t whatdefines me, or rather, how I define myself.

Me. Danielle. Me.

Hey, you! Yes,you, the person reading this article written by a little Asian girl in the Golden State, I meanyou. I bet that you’re reading this article because you want to. Because you like to read, Imean.

Writing and reading are what I live for. They are the core of my existence, thelights of my life, the Tom to my Cruise, the white to my rice and the Harry to my Potter. Soundslike me and my passions need to get a room, eh? Well, think about this: Reading couldn’texist without writing.

Books are heaven to me. Silvery white clouds and misty sunrises.Beautiful shimmering lights and the unicorns of girlish fantasies and lo and behold a heavenly gatemade of pure gold that sparkles in the sunlight and gleams as if it has been polished to sweetperfection. Hey, look! There’s Elvis and Grammy May! And ... what’s this? I’vebeen published and gotten into Stanford University? Fantastic!

Heaven, plain and simple.

Writing matters to me not only because it is an escape from my daily life, but alsobecause writing is what I do. It’s what I am. Being a writer is how I define myself.

I don’t hold up any self-absorbed pretenses of writing so that I can bathe the whales orfeed the homeless or anything like that. Though I do (naively) believe I’m selfishly writingfor world peace. Writing makes me happy and brings me peace and if, one person at a time discoversthis joy of expression, maybe I am working toward world peace after all.

Or I could just bedelusional.

Let’s get this straight so I can move on:

1. Writing as a form ofself expression can lead to world peace

2. Danielle’s idea of heaven includes Elvisand unicorns

3. Writing rocks Danielle’s socks

On a more serious note, however,writing is an escape for many people, like a drug. I mean a healthy, good drug like that daily doseof vitamin C or in my case, caffeine. If this doesn’t apply to you, please don’t writeme angry letters. Much love.

Writing matters, is monumentally important, because it defineswho I am, and what I strive to be all in the same instant, every single day of my life. A writer.An author. A spinner of tales, creator of fantasies, one who can influence people with words.

Simply put, writing matters because it has the ability to define, to influence and to takeyou to your own heaven. Plain and simple.