Walking with Dad:
As any regular reader or visitor to my web site knows, I
am really not all that smart. When I write I reformat common knowledge and
opinions of others with a bit of my own thoughts, biases, and ideas, and
spin it all for my own purpose. I guess there is a skill to do that and
few writers can attempt it and still maintain a level of
"originality". But, it is far from the lofty heights of Pulitzer
Price winners or Nobel Laureates. It works well for me, though, but many
days I still wish I could challenge Steven King for shelf space at your
local book store.
I like writing for many reason. I also hate writing for
probably just as many. Like many things in our lives this is the
proverbial 'double-edge sword'. It is fun to do what I do and a very
gratifying to see the end result. However, the process it's often
frustrating to the point of madness.
It takes time and so much of that time is spent alone --
me, my thoughts, a notebook and the every present pen in my hand, hunting
and pecking and looking at almost every key I hit, always conscious of the
dead-line clock loudly ticking away in the background. Morning coffee with
Imus or NRP, afternoon ice tea with eclectic blues or jazz lightly
bouncing off the walls, and evening wine with un-rhythmic keyboard clicks
and blurred hazel eyes are a part of my ritual. One of my favorite quotes
says it best. "I hate writing, but I love haven written."
Every week I seek and search out stories hiding in the
crevices of space and time. This is the most enjoyable part of my life --
this quest for life's accounts that 'tell us about ourselves.' Father-Daughter
Take A Walk Together Day is such a story and I am very grateful
for my personal "story bible", Chase's Calendar of Events
for listing it. It comes to us through the creative mind and courtesy of
Janet Dellaria of Geneva, IL.
I love to use friends in stories. Using them presents a
great challenge. I work hard not just at not embarrassing them (too much),
but also at not insulting you, my readers, by making my friends sound like
the "greatest friends ever". I know your friends are just as
important to you and I don't wish to insult you by implying anything else.
My best friend, Jennifer, works for a newspaper in
Virginia. Knowing how much she cares for her father and how special their
relationship is, I sent her an email about Father-Daughter Take A
Walk Together Day. I though it would make a great little "Awwwww
Piece" for her to write. She emailed me back the following and was
kind enough to allow me to share it with you.
| There really is such a day? Do you have any idea how many hundreds of
miles |
And people wonder why I care about her so
much.
Well, Jennifer got the OK from her editor
to do the story and like all her stories (OK, most of them), it will be
terrific. A lot of her ends up in the pieces she writes and she fortunate
to be able to work on stories she cares about and in some way has a stake
in. A link to her story can be found on the left.
Anyway, if you are a daughter I certainly
hope you feel about you father the way Jennifer feels about hers. And, I
also hope you will be in a position to take a walk with your father on
July 7. (I hope the dad with 8 daughters has some good walking shoes.)
I am sure you will enjoy the links to the left.
|
