Sarah

One day-- who can remember the day now?--someone read to the young Sarah for the first time in her life. Another unremarkable day sometime later, Sarah read her first book to herself. Oh the experience! Sarah's entire being was elated that day to a whole new level. From that time on, Sarah always had a book with her: she took them in the car, on vacation, to school; everywhere Sarah went, a book went with her. Due to the many books she read, Sarah's imagination seemed boundless to those around her...she was always explaining some part of the book that she happened to be reading at the time. Unfortunately, those around her didn't have quite the appreciation for books that Sarah had, and quickly learned to not ask about the book she was carrying. Eventually, Sarah learned to not try to convince her peers of the benefits of reading books several inches thick, and simply read them herself. Her frustration toward herself for not being able to explain her books to others grew and grew, along with her desire to read nonstop every spare moment. As Sarah's enjoyment of books grew, she began to realize something that would change her life forever:

What if she were to write her own book? Then, she could explain all she wanted...for it would be her book! By the time Sarah was ten years old, she had made many short-lived attempts at writing her own book. After the first chapter or so, she would become tired of the plot or get stuck and give up.

However, when Sarah reached high school, she still had the same dream as when she was a young child... to become an author. She still read incessantly, and she still wrote occasional beginnings to books... and they still lead to nowhere.

If I am still wanting to do this so long after my first thought of writing a book, why not become serious about it, and do it? She thought to herself. Why shouldn't I do this? The more Sarah dwelt on this idea, the more she savored the possibility of becoming one of the idols of her life...an author. Instead of reading in her free time, she began to write. When she got writer's block, she would read. Writing gradually became a priority in her life: Sometimes, Sarah would wake up extra early so that she could write some more on her stories before she had to catch the bus for school. In study hall, the only thing that would keep her from writing at that moment was homework...if she completed it now, she would be able to write more later that night. Her parents noticed the change of Sarah's conversation from "This happened in such and such a book" to "In my book, such and such is happening" and were proud of their daughter for pursuing her childhood dream once again. Even her teachers noticed, especially her English teacher--because of the extra practice, Sarah's writing skills were improving exponentially. Of everyone she knew, Sarah was the only one to not notice the difference, except to admit that she was writing during her usual reading times.

Before long, the desk drawer in which she kept her works, both hand written and typed, was overflowing to the point that she could no longer shove one more sheet of paper into it. Already, random sheets of paper littered the floor beside her desk, along with crumpled up ones that were apparently rejected for some reason or other. These single sheets eventually changed into stacks of papers organized in ways that only Sarah had any hope of understanding, if even she retained that ability after writing so many papers and stories. By the time Sarah graduated from high school, she was the main writer for the school newspaper, yearbook, and was constantly being asked to write this or that notice or letter. She did these, and she enjoyed them mostly, because they included writing, but her heart was really set on writing her own novel. So, whenever she had the chance, she would work on her novel that she had started, or perhaps one of the short stories that she wished to lengthen into a novel. She still read occasionally, but Sarah had long since realized that writing was her true passion...she loved reading because she loved writing, even if she had not originally been aware of this.

Eventually, the big day came. She had finally been able to publish her first book, and the next day the first few copies would be placed in bookstores.

So nervous was she that she nearly tried to call off the publication...but she didn't. Sarah was shocked when her book became an immediate best-seller. Encouraged by this and her many, newly found fans, Sarah went on to write the remainder of the series. The set became a five-book collection, at which point Sarah ended the series because she decided that the story was beginning to run thin.

Here the next series began, and then the next, then a few single-volume stories, until the bookcase holding the books she had written began to sag under the weight of the many books over the many years. Through the years and books, Sarah had experimented with different genres and story lines, eventually choosing her favorite and focusing on that for the rest of her life. Her fan base had steadily grown, to the point that her personal e-mail address had to be changed so frequently that no one really could ever remember it except those not intended to ever know it. Sarah eventually had to give up the concept of having an e-mail due to the hassle and told those friends and family members wishing to contact her to either come over, call, or write a traditional letter instead.

Many books and more years later, Sarah died of natural causes at the age of ninety-five. She had published almost two hundred books in the course of her career, and her books had become known internationally. Each and every one of these books held a dedication to that first book she had ever read, along with the specific dedications for that book.

What was her favorite genre, the one that became the pinnacle of her fame, you ask?

She wrote children's books, just like the ones that had inspired her so many long years before, in the hope that she would be able to peak some child's interest in reading and writing, just as that first book had done for her.

As the children who grew up reading these books had children, they passed the tradition on...just as each book requested on the last page of the story.

What was the result of Sarah's childhood desire to read and write? Hundreds of thousands of children were given that desire of reading just as Sarah herself had been, and another, although smaller, portion of these were inspired to write their own books.

This was the result of one young girl's childhood dream.

What could following YOUR dream accomplish?