This is a post that I’ve been meaning to write for a while.
On Christmas Day, here in Cabo Verde, children made my holiday special. From the smiling faces of children who happily unwrapped small presents I was able to find for them here on the island….to the children who unexpectedly joined me for dinner, it was a happy day.
At the end of my dinner, I let a lovely family from Wales. Over the course of our conversation, somehow an invitation was made to come to my house to see the books I had published haha The daughter, Lola, was an aspiring writer and her bright eyes, brilliant smile, and excitement about writing made me want to share anything I could!
The next day, Lola and her family came by my home and it was a lovely visit. Her spirited brother made me laugh and her parents were so amazingly kind that the time passed quickly. But then, time seemed to stand still when Lola presented me with a book she had made for me the night before! She literally wrote a book and bound it with tape in less than twelve hours! I should mention that Lola is nine years old. I am still amazed by this.
After she showed me the book (The Lost Father), she read it aloud, and it was really good! Even though she says that I inspired the book, it was she who inspired me! In fact, I saw clear parallels between her book and my own, which further amazed me. The magic of Lola’s visit is that her kindness, innocence, and sheer excitement re-energized me. Her beautiful soul shines bright. And the excitement that she and her brother had for my books (Meditative Questions and unbreakable) was also a gift!
I’ve found that sometimes creative projects can drag on…and the spark that provided the original inspiration can be lost. In those moments, it can be tempting to stop and start on something else, but completion is its own form of magic. I’ve learned that any project I’ve started, which contained that initial spark, must be completed.
And so, as I continue to go through my second edit of Seven Lives, I remain thankful for the visit from Lola’s family and the gift of her book…and her joy. She continues to serve as an inspiration as I move forward. And Lola gives me hope about the next generation.
May we all encourage and fan the flames of creativity and joy in all of those around us…especially the beautiful children of the world. They are, indeed, the future. But I find it especially marvelous that Lola is not waiting for the future…she is already a writer and I hope that she continues to write. The world can never have too much beautiful art and I am confident that she will supply a lot. I expect great things from her brother, Charlie, too! ;)
Namaste.
Photo: Cover of The Lost Father by Lola (age 9)