Compliments

The Artist's way wants me to look back and think of some compliments that I could scrounge up. In my negative thinking, it's hard to think of something that brought me joy. But, during one class I took at Thurber House, we were assigned with writing about a scene using our senses. I was reading a comic at the time and took the opportunity to write a scene from the comic. It was set in my RTF universe and it had my protagonist being accused of stealing something. His face is pushed into the ground at the subway and he can smell the scent of body odor and sewage as he hits the ground. I must have done a good job because the teacher applauded me. One of the other students came up and congratulated me for my work. I was happy, but I wasn't in the best mindset so I couldn't really accept it. Now I think I can accpet it. It takes guts to step out and tell someone you like they're work, especially an amateurs. But there was one before that where I wrote a short story for a class while I was at Columbus State. The story was about people who did everything for a price. They would dilute the chemicals out of their brain and sell them for a few bucks. They would collect the rain to save a few dollars with pools and cups they had around the house. And the teacher loved it. I was proud to have that kind of story in my pocket. One of the reviewers even suggested that I make it into a book. That meant a lot to me. Writing isn't a skill you're born with, you have to cultivate it. And being able to see the fruit of your work pay off is breathtaking.