Be That Kid Again!

          I am forever amazed by children. If you ask a child young enough to still believe in themselves and old enough to speak, they will tell you that, sure, they can sing! What song do you want to hear? Yes, they love to draw! See what a good job they did? Of course they can dance, just watch! Now you come and dance, too!

          What happens to some people's joie de vivre (exuberant enjoyment of life) as they age? I'm not saying you should dance in the aisles of department stores to catchy elevator tunes as I do, I'm saying that you could hold onto the feeling that, yes, you CAN do it, and you can do it well!

          But what if you truly can't do it well?

          I've posted a photo of my little sister. (You may recognize her, as she has been here before.) She is writing by herself which is amazing, not only because doctors at her birth said she would never walk or talk, but because she participates in my weekly adult writing class. At first, Mom had to sit by her and help her write every word. Now she does the writing herself. (SHE PRACTICED and SHE DIDN'T GIVE UP and she NEVER calls herself names or thinks she can't do it.) And the things she writes make the rest of my writing class laugh, think deep thoughts, or say, "Carolyn! I didn't know you could write that!"

          Even if it's not writing, find the invincible four-year-old you once were, (still there inside!) and do whatever would give your life exuberant enjoyment! What is it that you really want to do?

A Happy Unexpected Boost

by Shirley Bahlmann
I was editing like a madwoman, holding my laptop on, well, my lap, while my youngest son was in bed. He was supposed to go to sleep, but seemed restless. (I've sat guard duty by his bedside ever since I found his older brother hiding beneath the bed wearing a glow-in-the-dark hockey mask, just waiting until I left to crawl out and scare the bejeebers out of his little brother.)
Okay, that's another post. My son flipped and flopped and sighed and moaned. Finally, he said, "Mom, will you read me a story?"
I really just wanted to keep writing, but he's only little for awhile. So on impulse I opened a new window and pulled up a novel I was halfway through writing before I started editing my son's book. I began reading out loud, and to my surprise, the first draft chapters flowed better than the single chapter I'd re-worked to death and sweated over before submitting to an editor for evaluation. That one chapter was stiff and crusty with flowery description and far too clever ways of saying things. It was a relief to get back on the smooth road of my original writing.
So, there you have it. I'm a great instinctive writer! Over-writing is unnecessary and time consuming.
So trust your instincts!
Thank you, and good night.