Readers love great characters. And they don’t have to be great by the definition of the word. They can be flawed, comical, abusive, sheltered, submissive, crazy or the hero. That’s why it’s always sad when the great characters dies at the hand of the author. We bring life to our characters. We give them back stories and flaws. We put them in bizarre situations and watch them triumphantly claw their way out of danger. And then we kill them. Remember the Red Wedding from Game of Thrones?
Sadly, death happens in real life. 151,600 people die each day according to ecology.com. When it happens to someone you love, you only care about the one. When the loved one of a friend dies, you need to be there for your friend, regardless of how serious the friendship is. Many years ago I did not follow my advice and missed a chance to show how much the friendship meant to me. It’s a regret I’ll have for a very long time.
I’ve heard the hardest thing for a parent to do is to bury one of their children. I have no children of my own, and there is no way I can relate to the experience. Going off the observation of a recent rosary for a 19-year-old man from my church, I would have to agree it is the hardest thing a parent has to do.
History doesn’t write itself. It leaves behind the raw emotions a talented artist could use to create a masterpiece. It opens the door to faith in a merciful God, ready to comfort a grieving family. What could be more historical than that?
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What I’m Reading – Many readers I know like to inquire what their favorite author is reading. At the end of each blog post, I’ll let you know what I’m reading. I may not be a published author yet, but I hope my choice of reading material inspires you to read. I’m still reading Off to Be the Wizard by Scott Meyer. I encourage you to read a variety of topics.