All morning long, I’ve been trying to come up with some kind snappy eye-catching title that would entice you folks to read this. Then it dawned on me, it’s not my style to do so…
Disclaimer
I‘m sure some of you are gonna think of this as some kind of giant nodevertisment and that I’m doing this for selfish reasons. In a way, you’re right, but hopefully after you read this, my reasons will be justified. At least to most of you.
On with the show…
I feel the need to ask a favor of you fine folks that call E2 a kind of home. I don’t know if this is the right forum for such a thing but I figure I can always have this deleted after a couple of days.
First of all, early on in my life, I’ve been taught that before you ask anybody for a favor, you should make sure you can do something in return to repay the act of kindness A sort of “favor etiquette if you will...
Since I don’t know very many of you folks personally…Wait, that’s not true. I think I do know many of you folks personally; I just can’t reach out and touch you as I would if you were standing next to me. Hopefully some of the words that I’ve written over time have reached out and touched you just as some of yours have certainly touched me, maybe that’s even stronger…
Where was I?
Oh yeah, getting ready to as a favor. Silly me, got derailed for a moment.
The favor I’m about to ask won’t require much on your part. It’s not like I’m asking for money or a kidney or advice about my love life or anything like that. As a matter fact, I’m asking on behalf of someone who I think has won over many of the hearts and minds of the people who come here on a regular basis. I know she won mine over from the first moment I laid eyes on her. That was a little over 10 years ago and I can remember the tears welling up in the corners of my eyes when she first appeared on the scene. Since then, it’s mostly been a road with smiles in place as mile markers. Oh don’t get me wrong, there’s been a few tears shed too but we all know the old saying, “into each life some rain must fall”. I guess if I equate the tears to rain, then something good grew out of them.
Am I rambling? Note to self…Switch to decaf…
Anyways, I think it was about a week ago and I was driving the wee one home from school. The usual banter ensued about how our respective days treated us and what went right and what went wrong and so on. (She’s got a crush on a boy at school! Her first one that she’s told me about! I feel honored to have her confidence! I have to remind myself not to tease her about it. If I recall correctly, first loves can be a fragile kind of thing. Most are destined to die anyway but why help them along?)
Damn it! I keep forgetting, this isn’t supposed to be about me!
Amongst the daily banter, she revealed to me that her school is holding a writing contest. Now, I know for many of you the very thought of competition is not your particular cup of tea and that how can something as subjective as writing be held up to judgment and that it’s unhealthy and yadda yadda yadda. I’m not gonna get on my high horse about what I think the benefits are. I doubt I’d change any minds but I believe that for the most, competition, if conducted correctly, is not only good, it’s necessary. Nature competes with itself all of the time, from the tiniest organism to the largest mammal, every minute of every day, there is competition. The difference that we humans have is that if we do it correctly, it’s ok to lose. There might be some disappointment in losing but life goes on.
Somebody really ought to kick me in the ass…
I asked some questions about the contest and it was revealed that her entry, should she choose to enter, could take on any format. Poem, short story, essay, non-fiction or any other writing style would be considered. She could only submit one entry and that she wanted it to be good. The “winner” of the competition would have their effort considered for publication in an upcoming children’s’ book and an appearance in a magazine article. She neglected, most likely forgot if you ask me, the name of the magazine. She started getting her 10 year old brain in compose mode.
I chimed in and mentioned that she already had a body of work of sorts right here on E2 to choose from and the light clicked on…
Finally….
Here we go folks.
Drum roll please…
And a one, and a two, and a three…
Those of you who know me know the pride I have in my little girl. I would like nothing better than to see one of her efforts get published. She already receives recognition from folks here at E2 that are much more talented than I am but it’s time to try and get a wider audience. The encouragement she’s received here is the impetus for her to keep contributing. With that in mind, for those of you who are so inclined, please give some of her stuff another once over and /msg me back with your favorite one. For any of you first time vireaders, I hope you enjoy. A few reasons as to why it might have struck a chord with you might also be nice but not necessary. I know I can use votes/chings/ and reps as a barometer in selecting one but it’s the sentiments behind those very things that are more important (For those of you who think her stuff is crap, it’s all good, to each his or her own).
How can I repay you all for taking the time and the effort to respond to this humble request? Will I upvote you or pass chings out like candy?...
No…
Anyone who wants to can make a child smile by responding to a simple request…that oughtta be payback enough. Should she win though, we might all consider it a shared victory and we can all take a slice of the pride in knowing that we’ve helped her on her way. If she never writes anything that gets published again, I’m guessing the memories will be more than enough.
But then again, I’m always open for suggestions…
Thank you, one and all…
A running tally of responses will be kept on my homenode as well as the accompanying comments. If you don’t want your comments shared, no biggie, just let me know, we can do that too..
Contest runs through the end of November
Oops! Thanks to
doyle for suggesting I come with a list. Here’s the titles and the dates that they were written.
The Pigeon Wire
Stars in the Sky
My Living Room
Times/Do Ya?
Summer
Moonlight
Untitled
Untitled
Untitled
Sometimes
Winter and Snow
Cool Water
The Flight of the Herd
Want to make a Choice
Untitled
Now Look Up When Down
Clouds
That Black Cat
Can’t Repeat