Writing has allowed me, individually, to work through some of life's hardest knocks. I agree with William Zinzer in that "there are many good reasons for writing that have nothing to do with being published."

Right now my mid-south state, known for its tornadoes, is suffering extreme drought. Last night when a violent deluge awoke me, I had nothing but gratitude for the rain, and spent the next hour reflecting on the similarities between the processes of writing and storming; the whys and the wherefores.

In the midst of this summer's Olympics in London, I found myself recalling the emotional highs and lows I witnessed the athletes experiencing as they played out their lives on one of the world's biggest stages with intense courage. Theirs is a particular type of storm, God bless 'em.

I prayed I might write with the same level of courage they exemplify.

At times we humans think reasons that confront us look like immobile objects, when they're really just shadows one can pass right through. 

As a poet I am grateful for my healthy mind, my pen, paper, and laptop,and robustly satisfied that I live in a land that offers freedom of speech.