The Love of Writing

 

My goodness, my first time on the blog is St. Valentine’s Day. How fortuitous because St. Valentine, is celebrated today as the patron saint of many things including Love, Young People, Happy Marriages, and it was love I was thinking about today. I did not plan to dwell on the courtly love with which the Saint is associated, but the love of writing and how it improves our lives.

God certainly moves in mysterious ways, because I began my writing career when I was recovering from cancer. I had had to take early retirement and was struggling with the side-effects of treatment and really feeling very sorry for myself. However, following a chance comment from my husband – “If you know so much about what makes a good book, why don’t you write one?” – I decided to give this writing lark a try.

Since then it has not only seen me through cancer but has also given me a diversion during the Covid lockdowns, introduced me to many fascinating people and replaced the former lecturing career I loved.

Writing allows writers to express our emotions, tell stories and celebrate the love of God. Also, as I think about St. Valentine and his influence over young people, I am reminded of the books my older granddaughter gave my husband and me for Christmas. It requires us to write the answers to questions in it and recall things from our youth that differ her life today.

She finds it incomprehensible that there was only one phone in my house (and it was a party line). She was unimpressed that, as there were few vaccinations in my youth, when a child in the neighbourhood got an infectious disease like measles, I was taken to a ‘party’ where there were no games. Guests only took it in turns to sit beside the poorly child (and there were no party bags given out!). She also finds it impossible to believe that my husband and I are older than Google.

Writing down these memories was fun to do and sharing them with our granddaughter has increased the bond between us and caused a great deal of laughter around the dinner table. Writing, love and laughter what a blessed combination.

So, as I consider the influence of St. Valentine on my life: with love, young people and a happy marriage, please come with me and we'll go forward on our journeys and rejoice in our love of writing.