I have long been envious of poets and authors who can use language to draw pictures in the mind, or can craft a well-turned phrase to summon sensations in a few simple words. I read a great deal, but occasionally I come across a passage or two that makes me stop. I have to go back, re-read the lines, and then sit and ponder them for a bit before moving on to the rest of the story. Beyond the joy of savoring of the language, or processing the emotion conjured up by the phraseology, I'm often filled with envy ... because I'm not a real "writer."
Take these passages from Lynne Hinton's Friendship Cake, for example. This a novel I read a few years ago, but have come across again in my library browsing.
… I sensed the stones of sibling rivalry as they pelted me with their grief-stricken stares. (Page 7).
Or this very important life lesson:
A heart can hold sadness a lot longer than it can anger.
…the sadness always outlasts the anger. You have to make an intentional decision either to give the anger up or to let it eat out the center of your spirit. Sadness can stay with a body for a lifetime. But with anger, you’ve got to choose. (Page 8).
I know we all have our own gifts and talents and share them in different ways, but it's hard not to wish for a magic pen or a visit from a muse when you come across passages like these.
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