From the time they’re born, we feed our children,
bathe them, doctor their skinned knees, and love them. We drive them to school,
ball practice and games, piano and dance rehearsal and programs. We
congratulate them when they make good grades, if they win awards, and when they
achieve their goals. We scold them for misbehaving. We encourage them when they
have bad days. We listen to their troubles and complaints and offer our advice.
They don’t always listen and sometimes go on their own way. We stand by to help
them when needed.
As writers we do the same for our make-believe
children. We nourish them from page one. We help them discover their good
points and also their bad. We go along with them to that first school program
and clap and shout “That’s my boy!” or “That’s my girl.” No doubt embarrassing
them, if they were more than just characters on a page, but proud of their
accomplishments, even the ones that surprise us. We hold their hands when their
first love dumps them. We brush away their tears. We guide them as they grow
and discover their place in the confusing world of their story, whether
fantasy, science fiction, historical, contemporary, or other.
It doesn't matter if our children/teens are flesh and blood or
characters formed in our imaginations, they are our young ones. We love
them. They may not always follow our plans and instead take off in their own direction. We support the choices they make, anyway, and hope they're the right ones. We give them our best
advice and follow along on the journey they've chosen. Sometimes they find what they're looking for; other times they
have to learn the hard way.
Even when their choices get them in trouble, we’re there,
to hug and love them. For no matter what, they are our creations, both living and make believe. We send them
out into the world and hope the world will be kind to them, and they’ll find
love and happiness.
Our children and teens.
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