"Why do you write letters to the paper?"

is not something I usually get asked.

I live in a village within a city. It has one of the oldest churches. It stands on the hill behind me. Behind that is the large house which belonged to one of the first settlers and, to one side, a large fee paying school. There is a row of, now empty, shops a little further down the hill. They lead to another fee paying school. The "institute" building is still in use. There is a small "gallery" behind it. There is a well known pub from which music can be heard, especially at weekends. Move further down still and there is one of the oldest primary schools. Our shopping centre, the memorial park and the library and the railway station are all close to hand. It's a community. I know people there. They know me. I suppose I stand out even though I am not the only person who rides a tricycle. 

No, I am "the person who writes letters to the paper". I am apparently that even though I am by no means the sort of regular correspondent that many are. I am however the person who can be bailed up in the shopping centre, the post office and the library. I can be verbally assaulted for my apparent views in these places. There will be other letters heavily criticising my apparent beliefs.  It is part of making your views public. You need to accept other points of view.

These people are generally not aware of this blog. They have never "met" the Cathedral Cats and they are not aware of many other things about me. They do not need to know but they are curious about why I write letters to the editor.

"Do you expect to change things?" I have been asked.

No, I don't but I have been known to try and show people there might be another way to think about something. It is possible, even likely, I do not agree with that viewpoint myself but it will be one of which I am aware. Newspapers are not known for "balanced" coverage in themselves. It is one reason why columnists and letters to the editor exist. 

"Do you see it as a social responsibility?" I was asked yesterday. The answer to that is "No." It is not my place to tell people what they must think. All I can do is offer an idea or an opinion and it is up to other people to do the thinking, to accept or not accept. 

I am not going to change the world by writing letters. I can try of course but I know International Literacy Year did not change the world. It might have given literacy a nudge but that is all. Yes, I wonder what would happen if it was held now that access to the internet is so widespread.

So now I wonder at all those people who withdrew from this year's Writers' Week in apparent "solidarity" with someone who is a published author, someone who has actual books out there. All of you had the chance, as did she, to get your message across. You wasted it. I don't want to waste my own chances like that. I'll go on writing letters to the paper and hoping I give just one person something to think about.  Is that enough?