A Present from Mom

Today is my Mom's birthday, but it's a present from her that is on my mind - a present from more than three decades ago. It was neither Christmas nor my birthday when Mom noticed an old Royal typewriter at a yard sale. She didn't need an event though, because she knew her middle child loved to write stories.

I don't suppose most 10-year-olds would have been that excited about an old and already well-worn mechanical typewriter, but it was a treasure to me, and I spent dozens (maybe hundreds) of hours in my room, converting the stories in my head into manuscripts. Mom also showed me the proper hand positions and wouldn't allow me to "hunt and peck," so by the time I enrolled in a typing class in high school, I could already type 40-plus words per minute.

When I look at that old typewriter today, I cannot help but think of the significance of Mom's gift in shaping my career. She recognized my unique interest and encouraged me with an outlet, and today I make my living "writing fish stories."

Thank you, Mom, and Happy Birthday.