Reflection

"This is a GREAT story! You should be a writer, honey!"

The compliment felt great, but even at eight years old, there was plenty of skepticism stirring within. I bashfully accepted the compliment with gratitude, but did not have the intrinsic belief that this skill was one I could pursue as a career. Besides, I needed to get outside and play soccer.

Over the next ten years I would write here and there and when my mom had a chance to read anything I'd put to paper, she would make a comment:

"Remember that story you wrote in third grade about the boy who fell through a crack in the sidewalk and landed in the past with the dinosaurs?"

This fictional story was the first real effort I put into writing where I thought about the sequence of events and adding in elements of danger and intrigue. I could not have articulated it like this at such a young age, but the desire to write a compelling story from the overflow of my imagination was definitely a powerful moment.

All through my childhood I dismissed my mother's compliments as her being a good mom, with probably some unintentional bias. I did not give much credence to the idea that she may actually be right.

Am I actually a good writer? The inner wrestle continues.

As I entered adulthood I became an avid reader, but gravitated more toward non-fiction. I had, and still have, an insatiable desire to learn and grow. The love for writing keeps resurfacing and generally it serves as an outlet to compile all of my ideas and aspirations into a more teachable type, non-fiction, material.

I want to help make the world a better place. To encourage people to put aside judgment and aim at listening to others whether we agree or not. Writing is therapeutic and using this passion to encourage others is a wonderful feeling. In a world where we are busy and distracted, often in survival mode trying to manage all of our adult responsibilities, why not try to inspire people toward seemingly small, but intentional acts that foster in us a habit of selflessness and compassion?

The emphasis on non-fiction instead of fiction is the shift that has happened in my writing over the years, but there are a few imaginative story ideas floating around in my head. Perhaps the aspiration to encourage others to 'Be Good Humans' will find its way back to the more creative stories I wrote as a child. A blend of innovative expression intertwined with core values and inspirational truth.

No matter the style of writing, I'm starting to think Mom was right all along.