Do Not Let Your Dreams Die

When I was in elementary school I wrote a story based on a movie that Mickey Rooney starred in. It seems that he was in the wrong spot at the wrong time. He was caught in the fall-out from a nuclear test and some crazy things happened to him. My story was entitled, The Radioactive Rabbit. It told the story of a poor cottontail that got caught in the same fallout as Mickey Rooney. He grew to be about six foot tall and had some pretty nasty habits. I loved writing the story and I really loved the feedback I got from the teacher.


Some years later, in high school, I wrote another story. It was the true account of me and a dog named Scout. On a February night, about 20 below, my dog Scout didn't come home. I went out in the night searching for him. I eventually tracked him to a cedar swamp where he was caught in a coyote trap. The trap was frozen to his paw and I was unable to open it. I broke the chain and carried Scout the mile back to our house.


Over the next weeks Scout got gangrene in  the wound. Every day my mother helped me clean the wound and pour antiseptic on it. Close to spring we had to decide if we were going to put him down. The wound was not improving and the smell was awful. I resisted the thought but had to agree that we would give Scout another week to show some improvement.


A week later we noticed that the smell was not as bad and we thought we could see very small hairs beginning to grow. To this day I remember walking up the driveway and Scout running with three good legs and a bandaged paw greeting me. His recovery was fantastic and he became the canine celebrity of Huron Beach.


I wrote a story about Scout and sent it in to Readers Digest. I was sure that everybody would love the story and I would frame the copy of the magazine. I wasn't prepared for the rejection letter that came in the mail. Not only did I feel rejected, the dumb people were rejecting Scout.


Those two experiences of writing brought me to the highs and lows of trying to express myself with written words. I have had other rejections since then. And, I am blessed to say, I have received very positive words of encouragement and how my words have helped people. There are many days when I feel that I have nothing to say to the world. Putting my fingers on the keyboard, as today, helps me put those days behind me.


I love and hate writing. That might sound like I have some kind of mental defect, probably do. When the words form faster than my fingers can maneuver I am enthralled with writing. When I sit and star at this computer and my mind and spirit are blank, I hate it.


I want to encourage any who read these words to, never give up on a dream. Life circumstances can suck the very energy out of us and our dreams. We can imagine a million reasons why we should not continue with our, Fairy Tale. Do not give up. Get back to it.