my first story

This morning I spoke to a few dozen students from Keona's M/W school about writing and being an author. The most precious part of the whole time was seeing the pride in precious Keona's face. As we were driving into town she said, "Mommy, I'll probably need to stand there with you since you're my mom." Sure enough, she sat down right besides (as in ON) me facing the crowd and glowing like a lightbulb.

Placing my arm around Keona, I started by sharing a quote from Eric Liddell that describes how it feels when we discover how God designed us to know Him and make Him known. Liddell said, "When I run, I feel God's pleasure." Then we spoke about how some feel God's pleasure as artists, doctors, parents, musicians, lawyers...

A few minutes later I brought out my first writing which has been carefully preserved by my mom for decades. It is a single piece of lined paper stapled on a large blue sheet of construction paper. The date is September, 1972 which means I was 6 years old. Evidently our assignment was to write about ourselves and title our piece "Me."

Here it is, unedited:

My name is Alicia.
I Like to ride the bus.
I Like to take My lunch
But sometimes I like to eat here.
I Like to writ.
I have a dog He is a bad dog.

I like to write.

Amazing. Even then, there was this seed in me, this longing, this love to use words as a form of art.

Mom also kept my first two books. At the age of 7 I wrote a book (complete with a black cover secured by staples) called "Sloppy" about a "sloppy boy who had yellow hair and long blue socks." Then at the age of 9 I wrote and illustrated, "Greedy Gary" about a man who would not share his water supply with the world. It sports a 70's avocado green binding with yellow flowers...

Dad is gone now, but I want to thank my Mom for always encouraging me to write, for always thinking that every scribble should be published, for never belittling and always bragging, for seeing the small and treasuring it.

Thanks mom.