Why We Write

A dear friend asked me two weeks ago to help two young homeschool girls with their composition. They had written a thank you note to my friend, and she panicked when she saw a sample of their writing. It matters because she loves their family.

In seeking to prepare a class, I wondered how to impress upon them the importance of this part of their education. I asked them, "Why do we write?" I wanted them to consider the possibilities in life when they might need to this skill.

Perhaps all of us need to consider it. In this season of elections, we might need to convince our friends how important certain issues are. (I promise not to make our blog political by giving my opinion, but I confess--I'm tempted!)

Consider this. Many folks go from week to week, seldom hearing from a friend. Why not make their day by penning a letter? Or maybe we need to persuade a discouraged relative to read the Bible or go to church. A little consolation in difficult times can go a long way. Spread a little encouragement around your sphere of acquaintances--by writing!

Someday you may need to request an item from a company. Or you might want to inform some folks about a great opportunity. What about letters or articles for a newspaper?  We all know the cliche how the pen triumphs over the sword! Who knows? You could be the person to make a difference in your community.

Then the rest of us turn up. We can't not write. Ok, I know that's a double negative. But in this case, nothing else says it. I think God put an urge to write into our DNA! We write something--all the time. Stories swirl in our heads, and we cannot make them go away! Nor should we.

What have I left out? Why do you write? Why should our kids learn to write? What are you working on right now?