A True Story

A few years ago a group of college students touring the West were entertained during the long drive up Pikes Peak in a high-powered motor car by a very interesting driver, who wove colorful tales of the geography and Indian lore of the section. So splendid were the stories that the ride seemed much too short and it was with regret that they found the end of the trip at hand. One of the girls, who was keeping a diary of her trip, asked for the driver's autograph as a souvenir of the day.

"Sorry, Miss, but I've never learned to write. In the part of the West where I was brought up you didn't have to go to school in my day, so although I can tell you the things I see and hear, if it comes to reading a newspaper or writing even my name - it isn't in my line! I can put my cross in your book, if you want me to," was his reply.

"Imagine being handicapped like that in this day and age," one of the group remarked. "There is a fellow with a rare gift, if ever man had one, and he can't put it in writing so that others coming after his time will benefit by it. What a loss!"

"Did you ever try to learn to write?" another asked the driver. "It is really quite easy, you know."

"Yes, I did try, for I would like to learn, but it isn't as easy as you might think, my boy! You try learning the Indian language some day and see if it doesn't take some work and time to catch on to it," the man retorted.

"Guess you' re right about that, Mister. We learned when we were young and under competent teachers. It has taken us many years to become fluent even at that. Our quite recent struggles with shorthand and foreign languages should have left their mark but they didn't. We had forgotten how great a gift writing is," they agreed.

Yours For The Taking

Then they began to think of all the words in the world - mountains of them towering higher than Pikes Peak or any mountain in existence for that matter, all kinds of words, words in all the various languages, forever piling up as new ideas and inventions emerged. Here was a mountain that grew instead of wearing down with the ages. All one has to do is to walk right up and help oneself, and the more words you carry away for your own, the faster others grow to take their places. A real treasure trove of words! Mountains high! Just in English! Waiting for you to come for your share! Of course, you won't go unless you really need the words. If you plan to make something out of them, you can travel to the mountain on your train of thought under your own steam. Like Aladdin's wonderful lamp, these words need to be rubbed but lightly to make them perform wonders. When once they are yours, you can change them about to suit your fancy. What is unique, you can go back to that mountain again and again and carry away as many words as you wish.

A mountain of words is yours for the asking.

Surely we will all agree that such a treasure should not be wasted nor should we lose any of the fun in life that is due us. So let's hunt about for ways to insure our heritage. Let's take a pen in hand and walk right up to that mountain of words. Let's try to put the^ou in manuscript!

Write for the fun of it! Letters, diaries, notebooks, stunts, plays, stories, radio skits, movies of your own making, jokes, writing games - the world is so full of things to write about! For your own pleasure, jot things down. For the joy of others, send them a few lines of your personal ideas. The sick, the well, the distant ones will all be made happier if you will take the time (and this method is the "creative writing way") to spread a bit of gladness!