The Pre-Tea Kettle

Around November 2004, I was enrolled in CW 151 under Ms. Carla Pacis. The subject was writing for young adults. I loved this exercise as we were instructed to choose an object, create a problem for that object and ask Ms. Solve It to help him/her deal with it.

It’s called personification by the way.

Dear Ms. Solve-It,

Please help me. I’m a little confused. I thought that being a kettle means all I have to do is sit around all day, stay pretty, store hot water and whistle occasionally. I didn’t know that I’d actually have to sit in the fire and endure the hot, dizzying pain.

I like being of use and having enough warmth to keep the water hot so the whole family can have some tea any time of the day, especially during the cold weather. But it’s really uncomfortable, you know… sitting near the stove all day and being on stand-by all the time. I dread being emptied of my contents because that only means they will have to fill me up again and subject me to scorching heat.

What should I do? Can I switch careers now? Please advice.

In heat and confused,

Lylah, the Pre-Tea Kettle

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Dear Lylah,

I wish it were that easy, switching careers I mean.

Didn’t your teachers or your family tell you that being a kettle means having enough courage and strength in you to withstand the fire?

Well, let me enlighten you, dear. I know it’s uncomfortable and even painful having to endure the heat from the oven, so if you can’t stand it get out of the kitchen, right? Wrong. You see, the moment that you accept that life is difficult then it becomes easier, for you and for everyone else. That’s from Dr. Scott M. Peck’s book, The Road Less Traveled.

You need not be confused, Lylah, the pre-tea kettle. Kettles are not just pretty beings, they are pretty sturdy, too, judging from the way they are built. They are built like that for a very specific reason: to keep the warmth inside their body for as long it’s possible.

So, do not be confused anymore. You have a noble task: to keep yourself warm and to share this warmth to anyone who needs it.

Keep whistling,

Ms. Solve-It