I was visiting the blogs of some of my fellow writers today when I happened on a post by Terri Forehand (heartfeltwords4kids.blogspot.com) about a book titled A Talent for Quiet.

It made me think about what I loved most about growing up. Some of my best memories are of times when we didn't have to be anywhere or rush to do something. Those long, lazy days of summer when I could just settle down with a good book or sit outside and enjoy the smell of fresh cut grass or feel the warmth of the sun on my face. We need to learn how to do that again.

We rush around so much these days, taking the kids to ballet or baseball, to clarinet lessons or soccer practice. There is so little time left just to relax and enjoy this beautiful planet, to watch a sunrise or see the sunset, to observe a colony of ants hard at work or to follow a butterfly as it flits around the garden.

We need to turn off the TV and get out of the house, stop playing the computer games and go for a bike ride. Life is too short to spend it sitting in front of a screen, asking someone else to entertain us.

Literary Orange

I had a wonderful opportunity this past Saturday to meet several talented and successful authors at an event called Literary Orange. It was sponsored by the Orange County Public Libraries and the UC Irvine Libraries.

I listened to presentations by three great keynote speakers and attended Q & A panels that featured some wonderful writers. They were very honest about their experiences and shared their thoughts about the writing life with those of us lucky enough to attend.

Writing is a difficult profession filled with unique challenges, but most of these authors admitted that, even though it isn't always easy, they feel compelled to write. It's part of who they are; it's their calling. Their need to share their stories with the rest of us takes precedence over everything else.

If you would like to participate in Literary Orange next year, mark your calendar for April 10, 2010. I'll be there!