This is my first posting for “Reflections on Writing,” inspired by my recent blogging course. I’ve decided to write a weekly reflection dialog on why I write, my feelings and what makes me tick inside. If I went back to my childhood, it would take a lifetime to describe. Simply, I write because it expresses how I feel and what is inside my soul. I write about things that I may or may not have personally experienced in life. My imagination goes wild sometimes. I can’t write without feeling the inner soul of that character in stories. My latest book portrayed a main character, Angela Harris, who tragically lost her mother early in life. She grew up without the guidance of a mother, yet her father was abusive, especially to her younger brother growing up. Her inner soul reflected a sad, depressed and rejected young woman. She learned the true value of life through her own faith in God and a series of dreams. One thing I take away from this book is that faith and determination can overcome any circumstance in life, even tragic events. I have experienced and lived through some difficult challenges in life, especially physically, medically and health-wise.

Writing books didn’t start until I developed a chronic life-threatening illness. More importantly, it led me to write as a self-therapy for myself and to express my physical pain in a more creative way. I suffer from an autoimmune disorder that causes my joints to hurt and debilitation of muscles. It is diagnosed as Lambert-Eaton Mysathenic Syndrome (LEMS), developed through breast cancer over four years ago. I receive infusions every six weeks for the disease, yet these treatments are permanent as my neurologist keeps telling me.

Next week I will describe what makes me tick, particularly what motivates me to write. It’s not just one thing, it’s a combination of many things. There is an important message in all this. Sometimes, it is an unexpected event in life that moves people to achieve something. I feel God took something bad and unfortunate in my life and turned it into something good. That is, writing books and using the mind to create art.

Please feel to comment and let me know what you think.