My Interest in Writing, Part 3

August 14, 2005


So what happened to my writings after high school graduation?

Well, they got put into college work. I didn’t write anything that I didn’t have to while I was in college. I was just trying to get through it.

What re-kindled my desire?

During my last year of working at A Beka Academy, we had a new staff lady join High School Admissions, my department. I found out that her sister-in-law was expecting. During the pregnancy the doctors realized that the baby had somehow developed three rare diseases and that it would not survive. Well, the mother carried the baby to term and about a week or so later (if memory serves) the baby girl, Amanda, died. Since I was expecting my first little one myself, this story hit home. I started a story entitled, “All Things” based on the above story. I only have 5 chapters done, though that was about four years ago. However, since writing this story, I have become involved in two writing forums the “NoteBored” and “Liberty Hall” and have found out that I have a lot of learning to do yet. So, I will one day have to go back and start my story all over again.

But that was still four years ago, why now?

That’s easy. My husband was working with a local Catholic high school wrestling team last year, well this year too. Last October a top-notch wrestler from a different local Catholic school took his new car, stuffed the muffler, climbed in, and turned the engine on. Since his parents were separated each of them thought their son was with the other parent. The boy was found dead near the school he attended. This event really shook the team that Dan works with for several reasons. One being that the boy worked out with them from time to time. He was picked to be first in the state at his weight, had a new car, his parents were well off financially, the girls loved him, he had many friends, and was a brilliant student (high A average). You know -- the “perfect life” in the eyes of teenagers. No one could understand why a boy with such potentional would take his own life. Dan went to the seeing and the funeral (with over 1,000 people) and all the boys knew that he was there if they wanted to talk. We invited some of the boys over to house for a place to hang. Dan’s friend, who is also a coach, also took it really heard.
Well, as I pondered on these things, I came up with a story that I entitled “Through My Daughter.” I posted this story on two different Christian writing sites and got wonderful comments. I thought I was ready to send it out. But then Dan found NoteBored and I joined that writing site. I posted my “baby” (“Through My Daughter”) for comments and I got hammered.

After that I got involved with Liberty Hall’s timed flashes challenges and the challenges at NoteBored. I am still learning, but it was been rewarding. One day I will go back and fix “Through My Daughter.”