A few weeks ago we celebrated Alison’s birthday, and on the evening before, Nora advised there was one more gift she wanted to prepare and needed my computer in or to do it.  I thought maybe she was going to show me a website, or a YouTube video about L.O.L. dolls or something, but instead she navigated herself over to Canva and started going to work on a project that clearly had already taken shape in her mind.  I use Canva on the regular, so it didn’t surprise me that she knew what it was or the general layout, but I really didn’t think she would know how to actually use it and all of it’s functions, so whatever it was that she happened to have in mind to create, I assumed that she would need my help to get it done.  It quickly became apparent, however, that my help was the last thing she would need; and for the next 30-minutes she designed a poster and wrote out a completely original story, inspired purely by the thoughts in her mind.

Computers, devices, programs, gadgets, tech accessories; they are all pretty intuitive these days, I suppose, but they are also far more integrated into our daily lives than they were 30+ years ago, so I guess I shouldn’t really be surprised by her acumen for using the tools she’s probably become familiar with in school.  I’ve written about the subject of technology before, so I’m not here to rehash the same thoughts.  Truth told: it wasn’t actually her ability to use the tools that struck, impressed, or inspired me the most.  Instead, it was her artistic desire to create something, out of love, for someone else.  Particularly the fact that she wanted to write her mom a story

Expressing an interest in written word is not necessarily a new thing for her; she has always enjoyed scribbling away in her many, many, books, diaries, journals and thousands of scrap pieces of paper that she has given me over the past several years (all of which I still have and non of which have found their way to the blue bin…I swear), but writing an entire story is something I hadn’t seen her do before, and I was unbelievably moved by her desire to express and share her thoughts in a medium that obviously means so much to me.  In the days and weeks that followed, she has been carrying around a note book and pencil and has been presenting just about every day with a new and completely original and unique story to share.  Most of the exercise takes place under deep focus while sitting on the couch as I prepare dinner, or we’re putting her sister to bed, and her inspiration seems to come from observation more than anything else.  I’m sure I’ve stated countless times throughout these musing just how much these girls mean to me, and how much their actions move me to joyful tears…and I’m perfectly fine with saying it one more time: watching her sit there, full of creativity and overwhelmingly content, brings incredible happiness to my heart.

Now, obviously I am biased when it comes to writing/journaling/whatever we want to call this journey I’ve been on for 2-years, but I’d also like to be clear: writing is hard.  Finding a topic that inspires you enough to put ‘pen to paper’ and carry on for, at least in my case, 1,000 words a week, all the while keeping it interesting and unique (selfishly I mean that more for my own benefit than yours…sorry), is actually quite a challenging thing to do.  Fortunately for me, my ramblings are actually drawn from real world events, and so I have a foundation from which to start.  For Nora – her stories all start from an observation, but then go into fantasy and elements that’s need to come from her own brains creations because there is no actual event to recount.  That, to me, is a skill above and beyond simply putting words on a piece of paper, and it’s one I admittedly don’t have much aptitude for myself.  So, yeah, writing in and of itself is hard – writing about fantastical lands and events, that’s just next level impressive.

So, with all of that said- given her newfound interest, and my weekly routine, I asked if she’d like to publish a story of her own for others to enjoy.  She was quick to jump on the opportunity and so, here then, is a story written by the one and only, Nora Bean.

The Mermaid.

Once upon a time there was a castle made of candy. And in the castle there lived a princess and her name was Alison. One day she went for a walk and saw a mermaid. And the mermaid was having a birthday party. Alison asked “can I join in?” the mermaid said “yes” then she said “we were about to play a game called can you tell us about you’re self. would you like play with us?” “yes” said Alison. Then Alison remembered something “hey!” she said. “I just remembered something.” “What?” asked the mermaid “It’s my birthday today to!” said Alison. “Well then why don’t you go after me in can you tell us about you’re self.”said the mermaid. “thanks” said Alison. and so the mermaid went first then it was Alison’s turn and she said “Well I am kind and I respect others Hmmm…” “do you have kids yet” asked the mermaid “Yes I do have kids there names are Nora and Audrey” are they nice asked the mermaid “Yes they are” replied Alison “they are the best children in the world” she said. “what do you live in” asked the mermaid. “I live in a castle made of candy.” she replied. then it was cake time everyone had a seaweed cake accept for Alison she had her own cake. it was the best cake Alison had ever had in her life. It had a picture of her castle on the front.

The End