Put Emotion to Work For You

 I got to visit with Krista, the daughter of a good friend and her two little boys tonight. It took me back to the day that my friend Deb and I shared the news that she was pregnant with Krista. I had found out that I was pregnant with Tate, just months before she had found out about Krista, so I was already bursting. I remembered everything about the day Deb told me. The excitement was pressed into her face. A girl. Sweet and precious, smelling like baby powder, all giggly and so full of smiles.

Today, I sat next to that woman with two little boys of her own, her belly swollen with a third child's coming. The excitement pressed into her face. Krista had become everything her mother wanted for her. Independent. Proudly beautiful. A loving mother and wife. A talented artist. And all of a sudden, I'm wanting to call Deb and tell her what a wonderful child Krista has grown to be! What happened to our babies?

My son calls me a short time later. We talk. I realize that he's no longer my little man. He's someone's husband, someone's friend. He's intelligent, a bit hot-tempered like his father used to be, a hard worker, a good man. I want to tell him that I ache for the little boy he was, but I don't. He's his own man now. I just pray he remembers the love that got him to that place.

I'm tired tonight. It's late and I've spent my night pounding the keys, first for work, then with my writing. I've been on the road a couple of weeks and I'm ready to go home. Don't feel sorry for me. I love what I do. Today I received a lot of encouragement, first from my mentor, Sarah Pritchard, my sister Sue, then a lovely note from a complete stranger. Life just doesn't get any better than this!

So for work today, remember that stories should move the reader. Feel it in your heart. Put it to paper. Edit. Edit. Edit.