85 pages

One of my goals for Amelia is that she has the strength and courage to chase her dreams. As a father, it is my responsibility to ensure that she absolutely feels as though she is limitless. The fantastic hypocrisy of this has recently dawned on me. I, by all accounts, am a numbers guy. I always have been. My education is rooted in numbers. I feed my family thanks to them. However, it is words that have become a growing passion for me. I have always had an interest in writing and yet this blog is really the first effort I have made...and that is using the word effort in its broadest sense. I have always been able to mute any temptations I have had to write on a larger scale by burying my head in what I presumed to be the realities of the writing world. Why would anyone want to read what I write? How could I ever get anyone to read it? How can I find time to write with my busy schedule? Being a writer is for a privileged few, isn't it? At the end of the day, all of these "realities" are certainly founded in some truth. However, so is the fact that every movie you have ever seen, every television show you can't wait to watch, and every book you are unable to put down was written by someone. They may have stemmed from a waking epiphany at 3 a.m.. perhaps a single inspiration that couldn't find a journal fast enough, or possibly even a long conversation amongst friends. However, they all came from somebody's mind - a person not entirely different from you or I. I have no delusions. I know there are brilliantly gifted writers who are begging to be discovered. I'm sure the odds of becoming a decently paid writer are roughly the same as hitting the lottery. But, I also know those odds go to zero if you never try. Are those odds good enough for me to quit my day job? Don't worry, I'm not that crazy. However, that 1 in a million chance was enough for me to decide to enter a writing contest to test my merits. Will I win? Not likely. Will I do well enough to gain any major recognition? I'm certainly not counting on it. But, what I will do is take my best shot at my ultimate dream. I will create something from scratch that is uniquely molded from my mind. And most importantly, I will serve as an example to Mia to chase your dreams no matter how far reaching they may seem.