Seren & I 2

I’ve been smiling more the last few days, and I want to tell you why. Lots of reason, really. My husband is finally recovering from surgery. Nobody in our family has cancer today. It’s almost Christmas. I had a lovely phone conversation with my mother. And I’ve been picking out cabinets and colors for the new office building we’ll actually move into in a couple of months.

But I think the real reason I’m happier today is this: I started writing a new book. I’m only a dozen pages in so far, and I don’t even know all the characters by name yet. But they are starting to talk to me, and I’m rushing to get their conversations all down.

The truth is I am simply a better person when I’m writing. Not just the columns I do every week or even this blog. I’m nicer when I tackle something like a novel. Something big and scary and pretty much impossible in my own little self.

I think it is because of what Eric Liddel says in that famous line from Chariots of Fire. “When I run, I feel His pleasure.”

Writing does that for me. It connects me to the Creator in a mysterious way, much like mothering does.

So, I plan to keep writing and being a nicer person. And I’m wondering about you, Dear Reader. When do you feel His pleasure?