STUFF

Odd title for a blog, but it's a word that all of us can acknowledge we have in different forms.  Some fills our homes, our lives and even our minds.

One can attend a writers conference and probably  you will find it enclosed in  a class called "Where Do You Get Your Writing Ideas?"

This date, July 27th, set my mind spinning as I was reminded that this was the birth date of three wonderful women in my life.

Mother was born this date in the early 1900's to German immigrants who came to Cincinnati. Her impact on my life was monumental.

Another influential woman in my life who share this birth date was my third grade teacher who made an amazing difference in my progress. Through high school and college in different states, she mentored me. She even traveled to our home and school. My children became her pride and joy. I recall this past January whispering farewell to her in a hospice and thanked her again before she left this world.

I dreaded the first birthday after losing Mother. Determined that sadness would not steal my joy, I decided I would just invite someone out for lunch.That would help my mood. A retired college professor had just moved in the apartment next to me. She was known as a writer. Her most popular piece was "If Jesus Came To Your House." A life of retirement seemed promising for her and her husband;he died before they moved in. So she lived alone and reminisced of former happier days.That morning I knocked gently on her door and exchanged greetings. We chatted and then I popped the question, "Ms. Lois, I was wondering if you would like to have lunch with me  today?"
"Well dear, you will not believe this, but I dreaded facing this day. This is my birthday and all of my children live far away.I really didn't have a thing planned."

Now back to the word, 'stuff.'

The first woman honored, my mother, became a story, "My Other Mothers" published in May in an anthology.

The story of my third grade teacher will be published as "The Music Of Mentoring" in August in Life Lines From Mothers by Suzanne Williams and Tracy Ruckman. Be watching for it  and buy it from Amazon.

The third incident  about the English professor became a story entitled "Birthday Gift"which is included in a book proposal now.

So when I think of 'stuff,' that arouses my emotions and gives me ammunition to write. Being away from the computer for a week has probably cleared the cobwebs and helped me be renewed to pull my thoughts together again.

And by the way, Dr. Seuss earned his place by using all kinds of 'stuff' he heard and saw and made his heart sing and challenged us to read. Take a walk or vacation and see how much 'stuff' you can collect to begin writing again.