Writing 101 – Assignment.

Pick up the nearest book and flip to page 29. What’s the first word that jumps off the page? Use this word as your springboard for inspiration. Write the post in the form of a letter.

Note: The nearest book was mine, More Than Everything. On page 29, I introduce the hitchhiker and that’s the word that jumped off the page.

Dear Mr. Hitchhiker:

You saved my life.

After you stole our truck and left us stranded on the side of the road at that rest stop, I thought my life was over. Part of me wanted to lie down in the gravel and die. You took all that was left of our lives and drove away. You left us with nothing but the clothes we were wearing – and our survival instincts.

If it hadn’t been for you and your thieving ways, we would not have been forced to stick out our own thumbs begging for a ride. We would not have been picked up by a good man who gave us jobs at his cattle ranch. There would have been no angels helping me cook meals in that log cabin; I would not have learned how to make rhubarb pie, bake bread, nor would I have been able to take the long walks in the forest that washed my soul clean.

I would not have had this story to tell if you had been a good guy. I would not have written my book, including this passage:

“Love is not a word or an idea or even a place to go to or a thing to strive for. It is not something to grasp and smother and mold and change. It cannot be orchestrated, played, controlled or manipulated. You cannot cup it tenderly in your open hand or wish it into being through fervent prayer.” 

Mr. Hitchhiker, despite your evil ways, I persevered. I got my life on track and became a much better version of myself. You have no idea how your actions set in motion a series of events that saved me, but they did.

Sometimes you have to live through the bad to get to the good. I can only hope, Mr. Hitchhiker, that the bad you did to us also led you to something better – somewhere down the road.

Sincerely,

The one who didn’t even want to give you a ride.