The past couple of months have been story worthy with the intense ups and downs going on. Between holidays and funerals, I have been doing my best to squeeze writing in whenever I can. I even managed to get some reading in during long drives and much needed decompressing time.

Everything that has happened gave me a chance to think about the people in my life; the ones I have briefly encountered, the people that are dear to me, and those who have gone on. During my latest reading I was having a hard time discerning why I was struggling to get through the book. Eventually I discovered at that my trouble stemmed from the story portraying characters as only drops in a vast ocean of time and progress. It is a “lesson” these characters are taught by experiences that make them feel inconsequential. While I may return to this story one day and love it, right now my mind is fighting against the idea that we are insignificant specs in a vast universe. Yes, life is short, but I have decided that living creatures are more akin to vast, intricate galaxies, so complex and beautiful and worthy of admiration. I can’t begin to imagine understanding a single person perfectly, just like I wouldn’t be able to completely comprehend the hows and whats that make the universe tick. And like galaxies coming into contact, I believe that the choices living creatures make have can have critical impacts on the development of other singularly elaborate consciousnesses.

This belief of mine is likely why I find my stories dwelling on the characters. I don’t write exclusively character driven stories per se (plot is important as well), but I do my due diligence in giving them complexity and arcs over the course of the adventure they take part of. Over these past couple of months, I have gained a little insight to why I write stories; to gain insight into these fantastic, irreplaceable personalities.

I could go on for much longer, but this is something a lot bigger than me—and personal for everyone.

Check back next month for an exciting announcement for the coming year!