“There is no better exercise for the heart than reaching down and lifting people up.”
John Holmes

Here’s a surefire way to give yourself a shot of energy: visit a nearby middle school and take part in a Career Day so you can talk about how and why you were crazy enough to fall in love with writing.

First off, you have a chance, however brief, to catch the attention of winsome if wayward seventh and eight graders. Second, you can sneak a peek at their terrific essays and posters brimming with quotes and poems while secretly musing about the teacher who posted this desk sign: “Danger. Explosive Personality. Keep Out.”

Best of all, while having loads of fun speaking to boatloads of kids, if you were in the classroom where I was parked for about two hours, you’d come across an inspiring list called “10 Reasons to Write.” Though I would definitely shift #10 to #1, I wanted to share it with you:

10 Reasons to Write

1.   Write to share your ideas.

2.   Write to explain something.

3.   Write to tell your side of the story.

4.   Write to tell what happened.

5.   Write to connect with your reader.

6.   Write to tell how you feel.

7.   Write to explore what you think.

8.   Write to remember important details.

9.   Write to describe something.

10.  Write to enjoy yourself!

Write to explain and explore, to understand, connect, and remember: This just about covers the waterfront doesn’t it? Something to ponder as we all write on.