The Poet Within

Each of us has a talent or gift within us that must find an exit. That gift need not make one a star or set the world on fire, but it must exit. Until the thing that God put within us makes an exit to bless others, there will be no rest within. More than ten years ago, a friend was going through a divorce. When I came to learn of the matter, I felt sorry inside. It was an emotion that I had never experienced in matters of marriage. It seems that I really took it to heart and felt like doing something about it. But what? His spouse's mind was made up. The matter was settled, and the die was all but cast. I was awakened one morning with a poem in my head about my friend's dilemma. I started to write, and it was written with the heart and voice of my friend pleading with his wife for another chance. I emailed the poem to my friend and after a few words of encouraging compliments, he asked permission to use it with his wife. I would love to be able to say that the poem changed the destiny of their marriage, but such is not the case. But it did change something within me. From then on, I began to write continually. My poems and stories are inspired in a myriad of ways, but the above mentioned story stands at the top. It was the beginning of a most delightful journey in writing. It also spearheaded something within me to launch forward into a desire and longing that had been within me since I was very young. Imagine. 50+ years to exit. 9/2/17Contest, What Inspires You To Write Poetry, Rodeheaver,1p