One Tree 

Today’s blog is entitled, “One Tree” because I wanted to give aspiring writers not only a bit of hope, but how inspiration can come from the tiniest of moments.

This morning, the third day after a major snow storm, I was tooling to work a few miles over the speed limit when I suddenly spied a lone patch of ice on the other side of the road.  I slowed down and it took me a minute to realize that the only reason the ice – the only ice on the entire stretch – remained was due to a large tree which had yet to lose its leaves.

I thought of “what if” scenarios such as, “what if the ice had been on my side of the road?”  Imagine what might have happened to my car, the kids and me, or someone who was traveling in the opposite lane.

Then, I began to look at the positives of having that single tree out there.  For walkers, it’s a restful and cool spot from the hot summer sun.  In the spring and fall (barring the occasional snow storm) it’s a shelter from the harsh winds of the plains.  It’s a restful place and nightly shelter for animals and birds.

A single statement ran through my head – one tree can make a difference, even from the side of the road. 

So how does this relate to writing?  We are not all going to share the limelight with some of our most favorite authors.  Most of us will stand on the side of the road, but that doesn’t mean that we won’t make a difference.

Here’s another “what if” for you.  What if the things you write bring joy or push forth an emotion that has been hiding away in someone for a long time?  Wouldn’t it be wonderful to find out that something you wrote brought a family reconciliation renewed someone’s faith in their fellow man or stopped someone from hurting themselves or someone else?

When you write, think about sharing your word with others.  At first, it may not be a lucrative career, in fact it may never be a lucrative career, but that doesn’t mean your words and thoughts should not be shared with the world.  After all, one tree on the side of the road can make a difference.