Origins Blogfest!

Today I am participating in DL Hammon's Blogfest, called Origins, in which we share when our writing dreams began. Thanks DL!

I used to think writing by the age of eight was pretty unique. But I have discovered there are many of us out there who began writing at an early age.


I can blame my mother. She home schooled me, using the Calvert School, which has been homeschooling kids for over a hundred years. I began Calvert when I was around seven, or second grade. Mom and I had a daily routine of reading, writing and ‘rithmetic. I remember memorizing lots of poems. I still know quite a few.

Mom was pleased with the course so we continued with it into the 3rd and 4th grade. A 3rd grade assignment was to write a little essay about my family. Up to that point I don’t think I’d written more than the occasional required paragraph. Mom later said she didn’t expect to get more than a page out of me. Writing was torture, both the physical act because my handwriting was HORRIBLE and because I had such a hard time with spelling being that I'm dyslexic.


I surprised everyone, including myself, when I pumped out three pages describing “My Family.” Despite the fact that the pages are long gone, one word from my essay has become part of the family vocabulary. In describing my sister and me I called us “the grils.” At least I was consistent; I called us grils throughout the whole piece. Erva and I have been known as “the grils” ever since.

From that day to this I've been writing, my mother being my biggest cheer-leader, always encouraging me. Years later she gave me The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron.


 








In her lovely fluid script Mom inscribed it thus: For Bish Follow the Way Love Mom.


I do, to the best of my ability.


So, who can you blame for being your inspiration and reason for writing?