I have spent much of the last three days rereading some of my earlier postings. Some of which go back 10 or 11 years. Unfortunately, I am not one of those poets who remembers every word I've ever written. Once in a while a piece will stay with me in a shortened form for a long time, but usually time will erase it from my short term memory once it's stored it into long term. 

One of the the by products of all this rereading is that I got a chance to read all the wonderful and encouraging reviews posted by my friends here at the Den. These affirmations meant to much to me. I was a fish out of water in my family. No one seemed to be able to understand my passion for words. Many of them considered my early efforts "an exercise in silliness." I'll never forget my mom's words when I graduated from college with a magna cum laude degree in Creative Writing, "You should have gotten an MBA at least that would have made you money." Once, in my young life someone actually seemed to understand me. It was in 7th grade. Sister Catherine DiRicci pulled me aside the last day of school and said, "Barbara what ever you do with the rest of your life, don't ever stop writing. It's a wonderful gift that God has given you and you can't afford to waste it."

I have carried those words in my heart for more than half a century. I now pass them on to you. May they be your encouragement whenever you need them. I give them to you loveingly and without reservation because I know their power. 

Love,

Bobbi