I did a book signing at Barnes and Noble last Saturday and someone said the kindest thing to me, She said, “you’re so talented. I love to read but I could never write.” I didn’t know what to say other than thank you, of course – but her compliment danced inside my head for a while.
My mind took me on a little exploration through the thought. I thought about my oldest son, who hates writing. It’s curious, I thought. He hates building a story. He can build a computer out of some boxes and wires I swear it, but he hates building a story. I, on the other hand, can spend all day uploading my thoughts onto the computer, and get lost in my love of it – but I wouldn’t dare ruin it by considering what it takes to make a “p” appear on the screen when I type “p” on the keyboard.
From there my thoughts carried me into my own childhood, and I wandered in my mind to a memory of my dad playing spoons – He could make music with them. He’d put them together back to back with his finger in between the handles, and bounce them from his knee to the hand that he held just slightly above his knee, and make music. I loved it. I loved to listen to him “play” the spoons. I thought it was so cool when he did it, that I decided I’d try it. I hated it! They slipped off of each other, pinched my fingers and sounded like little more than racket that should only be heard from utensils while at the dinner table. I loved hearing it when he did it, but I hated doing it. The weightless thoughts tickled my mind with their simplicity, and made me smile.
I had reached a conclusion to my curiosity. I guess every body has a little gift to share that makes the rest of us think – how do they do that? Thing is, I have thought that about other people hundreds of times without acknowledging that I have a little gift to share too! And, more importantly that all of those little gifts that other people have, add something quite special to my life and to my writing. for instance, if I didn’t have my son who has a gift for gadgets of a technical nature, I wouldn’t have any idea how to use my computer (you’ve no idea how true this is!) If I hadn’t had my dad who had a gift for making my heart dance for the eight years that I had him, I wouldn’t have those sweet memories of him making the silly music that sprung my heart into motion. If there weren’t people in my life who loved reading a story better than building one, they would surely all be so busy building that I might be the only one with the time to peel open and run my fingers through my projects, which is really no fun at all – admiring someone else’s work is far more entertaining.
So, thanks Virginia, and others like her, for the compliment – apparently your gift (at least one of them) is the strength to make other people aware of their own gifts. You certainly gave me a smile that lasted me all the way home (and a little longer). And, quite frankly, I’m glad that you and others like you would rather read than write :0) This way I can possibly make you all smile once or twice, as well.
I don’t dare close without mentioning the importance for all of us to support, in what ever way we can, the treatment and prevention of child abuse.
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3 Responses to Author Guest Post: Elizabeth Walker, author of THE TABLET OF MY HEART