I would always tell Bentusi, that she can count on me to write, but never edit my work. Grammar has always been my disability, given that I pay more attention to the story and not with its form. Only lately did I learn to exercise caution - and prudence. After all, some people size you by your language mastery. One slip and their impression collapses like a monolith built on soft ground.
But this doesn't mean I'm ignorant with the language. It's just that a creator will find it hard to spot the faults of his creation. Lapses always exist. That is why critics tend to crash the scene - and sometimes, even chip the artists' massive ego.
It's in their nature; their way of pulling the artists' feet back on the ground.
But when the artist is aware of his own mortality. That as a wordsmith, he too can commit mistakes, he takes caution when spotting other people's work - or thoughts. Especially when his opinion is not sought. For in your attempt to correct what seems to be trivial, there is a risk of invading other people's space. You may come out as the aggressor; the high and mighty, self-righteous grammar guru that is secretly loathed by everyone.
Because not everyone would like to admit mistakes.
So it won't come as a surprise that I actually don't find fault when reading someone's personal blog or tweet, or Facebook wall. Or if I get annoyed with his sentence structure, I embrace my thoughts. Unless that person actually promotes his ideas and use it to gain influence, it's the only time I would throw my weight around, and say my piece.
There is a universe of difference between consciously attracting attention, and letting your thoughts drift until someone accidentally finds it. The more it doesn't concern you, the better you take it as it is. An innocent correction can sometimes rub off a person the wrong way.
And wrong way it did.
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| Filipino Translation: "Magde-date kami ni Mama" |
Maybe it's my own ego screaming - that it's not the right time to release her Nazi tendencies on me. The wall was written in good faith. It was meant not to malign anyone, not even wishing to court others' approval. I find it contrary to good taste to pay attention to its technicalities - when other people got the message
clear.
I left the comment, and my admission posted. To remind myself a lesson. So I would always remember to keep my grammar fault-finder in check, and to make sure never to post on other people's wall, especially in situations when their own frailty is exposed.