Two, Three, Four For One Thanksgiving

From Our Home To Yours

By: Jacqueline E. Hughes



Within writing communities all over the world this month there's something very cool happening!  It's called NaNoWriMo for short which stands for National Novel Writing Month.  It's a fun, cutting-edge, seat-of-your-pants style of creative writing where the participants begin writing on November 1 with a goal of reaching a 50,000-word completed novel by the very last second of the month.  How exciting and challenging, exhilarating and, quite frankly, overwhelming!

I did not participate this go-around, sadly enough.  My goal is to keep working diligently on my writing throughout the coming year, keep improving, create an outline for my NaNoWriMo book and then join the thousands of others who gratefully use this amazing sounding board to hopefully jump-start a creative writing career.  Nobody truly knows what they are capable of doing until they jump in with both feet and run like the wind all the way to the other side.....without stopping.  To accomplish this, it's important to remove or, at least, camouflage, all obstacles that might hinder your forward progress.  Having found out about this fantastic program only a few days before it began this year, I wasn't able to do this.  Now, I am keeping my eye on the prize...

When I was a freshman at Michigan State University, my advisers recommended I take English reading and writing courses within a Secondary Education Program in order to come as near as I could to anything remotely resembling a Creative Writing Program.  They just did not offer such an animal back in the late '60's.  What I did learn was that I truly did not intend to teach, my vocabulary and proper use of the English language was bolstered, the theater was my friend and France and the French language would become such a brilliant part of my life, forever!  I was a Secondary Education English major with minors in Theater and French.

Since then, a Creative Writing Program has been established within the MSU curriculum and it would be nice to believe that all of us who wanted to actively learn about and pursue a career in creative writing back in 1968, and our numbers were many, had everything to do with it.

Kudos to the thousands of individuals who are, by this late date, diligently working on their 'finished product' NaMoWriMo 2013 and the best of luck to all of you in terms of possible publication of your 'newborn' novels.  I have enjoyed meeting some of you on Twitter and Facebook.  Witnessing the joy and pride that is associated with your difficult goal, capsulized within a thirty-day period, has encouraged me to keep charging ahead with my writing and, I thank you all for this.  Already I can almost hear a collective sigh of "Thanksgiving" early Sunday morning on December 1!!

Thanksgiving Day, a time for great food, getting together with family and friends, possibly some travel time, and being absolutely appreciative for all of the above!  My husband and I have been trying to achieve 'mature adult' attitudes when it comes to not living close enough to our family who reside up in Michigan.  Not only do we have two beautiful, married daughters who have brought their loving husbands into the mix but, five amazing grandchildren who are brilliant products of these two unions.  When we all do have the opportunity of getting together, the eleven of us can definitely fill a house with words, laughter and good times!  It's as though a novel comes alive right before my eyes and each carefully written word fluidly bends and sways as each participant glides from chapter to chapter.  That's how I see it through my rose-colored glasses....  I do find many Family Scenes in my heart and bring them out whenever I am feeling lonely and missing all of the kids.....and, that is quite often.

 Today is very special!  No, the kids are up North.....not here with us.  The struggling NaNoWriMo participants remain hard at work.  Do hope they take a turkey break!  And, I am exchanging my keyboard (just for a few hours...and a much needed break) to grasp wooden spoons, measuring cups and pull-out seasonal recipes to peruse for the thousandth time.  Graciously, we'll be sharing this bountiful meal and giving thanks along with my brother-in-law who has driven down from Georgia for the occasion.  Ah, Family.....thank you, Chris.

This Thanksgiving also marks the beginning of Hanukkah, with Love going out to my son-in-law, Eric, and his beautiful family in New Jersey.

Finally, and never least, today we celebrate the birth of a very special person in my life.  Hint: He is my biggest fan and supporter (all writers require certain ego-boosting essentials).  I believe he knows this support is mutual.  Anyway, what better way to celebrate one's Birthday than sitting around the table with family enjoying a lovingly prepared meal and giving thanks for a good life?  Now, the really cool part is knowing that thousands of fortunate people are doing it at approximately the same time!

Happy Birthday, Dear Heart.  My husband, friend, great Father and Grandfather, my Biggest Fan and Love of My Life......Wow!  I love how amazing you look as you wear all of these hats!!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING  to all of you........!  Always remember to give and accept Love with all of your being.