Thanks for Writing

Well, I hope everyone is still stuffed and finding mind-blowing Black Friday deals. This year – and most years - I’ve got so much to be thankful for. Though I have my whiny moments, I truly understand that my life is awesome: I’ve got an amazing wife, a tremendously loving and supportive family, top-notch friends (both writing and not), two fantastic dogs, and one of the best babies on the planet (I’m not just saying this, I’ve done research). My job is well-paying, flexible, and mostly enjoyable. I’m healthy.

Today, in this forum, I wanted to give thanks for one thing in particular: Writing.

I’m thankful for what writing has taught me about myself. I’m more self-aware of my physical/emotional responses and I’ve mined deep-buried memories for the page. But I also understand that I get really grumpy after I press SEND and the doubts set in. I’ve learned that I write the best in the morning, but that I can train myself to squeeze in five minutes whenever I can. And that I bounce back from rejection with amazing swiftness as long as I’ve got another project to start.

I’m also thankful for what writing as taught me about the world. Everyday, I get better at observing and noting the details  – the sights, smells, tastes, and feelings of my life that I'd normally gloss over. I work hard to analyze what makes the real life characters around me tick so that I can apply them to my own characters. And writing has also accentuated the support and love of my wife, family, and friends. It’s also taught me that through hard work and perseverance – sometimes over decades – people can actually achieve their dreams (*glasses raised to the Muses*). It’s shown me that even after reaching the promise land, there are still more sweat, tears, and guts required. And also that sharing, celebrating, and supporting a group of people striving for the same goal is far more rewarding than doing it in a vacuum.

Mostly, I feel thankful to have found a true passion. I don’t think it’s something many people get to experience in their life. And that makes me feel like the luckiest guy in the world.