When we can, my husband and I have a date at the local college to sit and write together. I write my stories, and Daniel writes his sermon for the week. I laugh when I think about the the vastly different content being poured out across from each other. He writing about deep, spiritual insights; me writing about puppy dogs and flatulence.
I have no doubt, however, that Daniel would rather write sometimes about adolescence and childhood than the deep spiritual and theological matters of life. It's tough to get those things on paper without sounding artificial or moralistic. I really respect children's writers who can slide the great lessons of life into their writing without the reader even blinking an eye. I love Kate DiCamillo's stories, because she is a master of this. Example: in The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, Edward the Rabbit talks with an ancient doll at the end of the book about hope. At this point in the story, Edward has suffered so much pain that he can no longer bear to love. The doll tells him, "You must be awash in hope. You must wonder who will love you, whom you will love next.” What a beautiful line, but it flows so easily with the story.
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