MY WRITING

"It is when you give of yourself that you truly give." --Kahil Gibran

My earliest memory of elementary school was wanting to be a writer and illustrator of children’s books. My school had a bank day, where we could bring in our nickles and dimes to deposit in our own starter accounts; a library day, where we went to choose books to read; and a day where we went to the school store, where I could buy all sorts of things, including my weekly composition book. Stories galore graced each of the pages.

In high school I enjoyed competing on the speech team and participating in drama, but writing for writing’s sake was only fed by one creative writing class, and participating in our school’s  literary journal, “Trial Flights.” Then, I went on to college, receiving a degree in Theatre Arts, and a teaching degree, leaving my writer's passion on hold.

My writer’s appetite was whetted once again in a teacher’s workshop where we did something called, a “Read around”. A group of about 30 people were divided into six groups, and we were told to write about a childhood memory.  Each of us were told to put a code name or number on our paper.  As we finished our papers, we were told to collect them and pass them on to an assigned group.  We each read the stories silently and then agreed on which one we enjoyed the most, and notated it on a slip of paper.  We then collected the paper and passed them along to the next designated group.  The process went on for a total of six rounds.  Then the group leader listed the winning essays from each group.  It was a great feeling to see that many of our numbers were deemed as the outstanding member of each group, and that virtually everyone’s paper got chosen at least once.  It was an exercise that I took back to my own classroom to use, many times afterward.

Writing is such a blessing, second only to reading for me. Try doing a little of it each day, if you don't already.  I like to start each morning with listing a few blessings, and recognizing any activities or challenges I have in the day ahead. I also like to write an affirmative prayer for the day to help me remember, that with God, all things are possible.

"We are all immersed in the atmosphere of our own thinking. This decides what shall take place in out lives."  --Ernest Holmes

Where have you found wiritng and reading to be a gift?  I know that whenever I am waiting for an appointment, I feel so blessed to have a book to read.  As for writing, it just seems to me like the air I breathe. I am thankful for all those who taught and encouraed me to do both.

Love and light,

Sandy Smith