Raising a Writer

“Give me a broken piece of heart!”

“Do you like my song Mama?”

Why yes, it’s a beautiful song, but it’s a little sad isn’t it?

“No, not at all Mama!  I just haven’t found the right words yet for when the heart isn’t broken anymore!”

I’m not sure where she even got the words “broken piece of heart.”  We always have so much music playing around here it’s tough to say.

But Kirstin does touch on something that every writer goes through: Finding the right words to convey the story, emotion, chaos, etc. with the pizzazz that will make readers think, “WOW! I know this!”

And that makes me realize just how grown up she is.  It all started with a haircut.

Before she looked like this:

Emily and Kirstin enjoying the sunny day

My little girl, and she would always be my little girl.

Then, we got her hair cut. 

Nora, Landon, Kirstin, and April singing in the VBS closing service.

Now all of a sudden she grew up on me.  She has good insights on people and situations.  She’s fun to listen to (though not ALL of the time).  She tries new things all the time.  She’s becoming more daring, a little more sassy, and tried swearing a few times.  All of which puts my heart into my throat, frustrates me, and makes me laugh.  It’s very difficult to tell a child not to use some words when you’re laughing.  Like when she said, “That f---ing d..n computer just doesn’t work!”

At least she used the correct context.  And yes, she gets that from me.  While I don’t normally swear around the kids, sometimes when things aren’t working right I slip up.  And yes, I’ve used those words when my computer wasn’t working the way I wanted it to.

And now I believe I may have a writer on my hands.  I want to encourage her to put her thoughts down on paper, as soon as she can write.  Right now she draws pictures a lot.  Who knows, maybe I have the next great poet, novelist, or playwright on my hands.  She’s still young enough that her imagination isn’t inhibited by anything.  It’s my hope that it never becomes that way.