Thursday, February 10, 2011

My Inspiration

Yesterday I read a column in the USA Today by Craig Wilson.  His pieces appear each week and I love his tales of life.  On this day he thanked his high school English teacher for inspiring him to become a writer.

So I started to think.  Who or what had inspired me to write?  Hmmm.  I'd never really thought about it.  Writing simply came to me during my mid-life crisis.  I was turning 50 and started to realize I wanted something more out of life than the 9 to 5 grind up the corporate ladder.  Sure that job afforded me a beautiful home, a new car  and wonderful vacations around the world.  Deep inside I wasn't satisfied and out of the blue I turned to writing.

But did this really happen out of the blue?  An idea for a book has been stuck in my head since I was very young.  The story is of two childhood friends who go off to college and end up on very different paths.  It's titled, Red Rover, after the childhood schoolyard game where one team calls a person from the other and they attempt to run over and break through the hands of the opposing team so they can steal a player and return home.  One friend being very athletic is highly desired in this activity, the other being a klutz, is not. I haven't written a single word of this book yet I know quite well how it all plays out.  And I've known it for years.

I thought a little harder because now I'm curious as to where my inspiration truly came from.  And now I think I've got it.  I grew up in a time without email or texting or cellphones.  I was taught to write letters to relatives thanking them for Christmas gifts.  Once my parents took a trip to Europe and I wrote them letters on thin parchment paper that folded itself up into it's own envelope for mailing.  When I spent my summers away from my best friend, we corresponded daily.  Receiving and reading a letter filled my heart with joy.  Writing a response I thoughtfully created, satisfied my soul.

The one comment I remember however was from my grandmother.  After receiving what must have been a particularly newsy and appreciative thank you note from me, she wrote back, "Linda, you write a beautiful letter."

My inspiration.  Thanks Grandma!

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