why i am a writer: people believe in me

i have been writing poetry, stories, and songs for as long as i can remember. in many ways, my writing is therapeutic for me. but it has also been the same for other people--particularly in high school. high school is a time of high emotion and uncertainty...a time of questions and frailty...in other words, a time that is ripe for literally writing one's heart out.

a dear friend of mine gave me a card during our junior year of high school. i framed it and take it to wherever i happen to be living because it reminds me that i am a writer and people believe in me. this is what it says:

'you are a lover of words. one day, you will write a book. people turn to you because you give voice to dreams, notice little things, and make otherwise impossible imaginings appear real. you are a rare bird who thinks the world is beautiful enough to try to figure it out, who has the courage to dive into your wild mind and go swimming there. you are someone who still believes in cloud watching, people watching, daydreaming, tomorrow, favorite colors, silver clouds, dandelions, and sorrow. be sacred. be cool. be wild. go far. words do more than plant miracle seeds. with you writing them, they can change the world.'

i have had this since 1998. i let those words play over and over in my mind because they encourage me. they remind me that one sixteen year old believed in another sixteen year old.

and i know she still believes in me.

at our ten year reunion this past august, another one of my friends asked if i was still writing.

i know she believes in me, too.

i know that even when i don't believe in myself or the things i am writing, other people still believe in me.

whose voice do you hear in your head or heart, encouraging you to keep going?