My Daughter Inspires Me

How many times do we have conversations in our head of the things we would write about, if only we had a tape recorder attached to our mind.  I find myself having MANY of these types of conversations - often.  And wishing I could put it to paper (or computer) at that moment, but can't always because I am usually busy performing mommy duties.  These conversations I have in my mind, have been occurring since I was in grade school.  I used to write these thoughts in my diaries, compose poetry and kept journals.  Then I began typing and saving them on my computer.  A couple of years ago I joined the blogging world and started sharing some of my thoughts with others.

Since my youth, writing has always been an outlet for me.   Sometimes it has felt like a big mind purge...so many thoughts to write about.  Then there are other times when I will think about writing a book about certain personal experiences in my life.  However, I imagine fictional characters I would include, because I don't want the main character and story to be directly about me (even though the book is influenced by me).

Over the years, I have come to realize what we felt as a youth, is not much different than what we feel as an adult.  The intensity of our feelings will vary and are based on our life experiences.  How many years we have lived.  The types of people in our life that have helped us write our life story.  The profound effect emotions will have on what we want to say to the world.  Each of our stories can be life changing to others...and yet how many of us keep these stories inside.  The feelings we feel and experiences we have are real and can be impacting to others.  We need to share them!

As I read blogs posted by people I know, and those I don't, I am inspired by their writing.  Albeit, some are better than others, but overall, the fact that someone took the time to write and share their personal thoughts and experiences...I love!  And letting a fellow writer know this, is important.  Because being a writer is HARD!!!  And we need to support each other.  We need to encourage each other.  Being vulnerable is scary...and yet as writers we are willing to do it because we feel called to do so.   It is a part of who we are...and in a weird sort of way, we hope our story will help someone else.  And most of the time it does, even when we don't know it.

My daughter's writing is a great example of her helping someone else, when she didn't know she was.  That person is me!  When she was 11 years old (yes, only 11 years old), she wrote and recorded for a demo CD a song called, "On My Own."  (She is currently 14 years old.)  For such a young person at the time, she had the wisdom of an adult.  And whenever I hear her song, it gets me a little choked up.  Not just because she is my daughter and the lyrics are so profound at 11 years old (because of what she had heard and experienced from when her dad and I were married), but because she has the talent and ability to write the words she did and then put it to music (with the help of a friend)!!!  Such a gift!!  And one she has had since she was around 7 years old!   She inspires me!  Her writing has helped heal me!

ON MY OWN - by Elizabeth Ragan

I know that in movies and songs, he's always coming back begging her please.
But that's not how he was to me.
You left me outside in the cold, pouring rain.
'Cuz you said that you'd be back on that day, but you never did, you never did.

So I've learned to move on and I've got my life back, it don't involve you no more.
'Cuz I am on my own.
With no body else's weight on my shoulders.
And I am living the dream without you. 

It really did hurt just to know that all that you said, it was a lie.
Yes it was a matter of time.
You said that you loved me,  but that wasn't true, you let me down hard, and now I'm blue.
I hope you know it's because of you.

So I've learned to move on and I've got my life back, it don't involve you no more.  

'Cuz I am on my own.  

With no body else's weight on my shoulders.  

I am living the dream without you. 

I gave you my heart, just to have you throw it all away.
I gave you my all, but you let me fall.

'Cuz I am on my own.
With no body else's weight on my shoulders.

I've learned to move on and I've got my life back, it don't involve you no more.
'Cuz I am on my own.
With no body else's weight on my shoulders.
And I am living the dream without you.

Someone better is what I'll find.  I'm leaving the idea of you behind."

____________________

I would love to attach the mp3 link of this song in this post so it could be listened to.  But, I can't seem to figure it out.  UUGGHH!!   Perhaps I can attached it in a FaceBook post.  Hopefully, she will continue to share her talent of writing with the rest of the world as she gets older.  I imagine her becoming a great songwriter...combining her talents of singing, music and writing all in one.   The interesting thing about my daughter, she is very modest about her ability.  If she knew I shared this about her in my blog, she probably would not speak to me for DAYS (maybe even weeks or months)!!!  But I want the world to know...to watch for her because someday she will do what I only dreamed of...sharing her God-given writing and singing talent with the rest of us.  

I pray that those who read my post, if you feel called to be a writer, you will do so!  And to those of you who are already writing, continue to do so!   We WANT to hear what you have to say!  It may change the rest of us for the better...it could change the course of someone's life!!