Reminder of why I write

The picture is just to remind me what blue sky looks like. Ha, ha. This is Lubbock and it was hot as you know what that day with a dry wind. But there was plenty of sky and sun.

I waffle back and forth about being a writer and whether it's worth it. I'm not making any money and I feel like I'm not contributing at a time when our retirement fund is wallowing in the slough of despond. And I'm having huge motivation issues since I don't have a writers' group to give me support and encouragement. (Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.)

But then I receive a message which makes writing a no-brainer. On Sunday, one of the Primary girls along with her mom and sister came up to me and with awe in her voice asked if I was the author of "Jake's Miracle" which was published in our church's children's magazine last October. When I said yes, her mom said that it was her daughter's favorite story ever from the magazine. That was a pretty impressive moment. I was so happy to be able to share the story of a great kid who lived in my daughter's ward in Texas. The church hasn't published any recent circulation numbers and my story wasn't included in the international version of the magazine (the circulation of The Friend was about 250,000 in 1996), but there's no doubt that thousands and thousands of children read that story. The story is now archived on the church's website in text form and in glorious full-color PDF and is available to anyone in the world who wants to read it now or in the future. Hm-m-m. Back to work.