You would think that with the extras stories I’m writing in my coworker’s absence I would be burned out on writing. With the exception of the major writer’s block case of nearly two weeks ago it’s been surprisingly the opposite. I feel like I’ve done some the best writing of the last few years in these last few weeks.
Of course, it’s probably not my actual writing so much as
the stories and sources I’ve been blessed with. I mean how could it not be fun
to write about a walk through the tunnel in Zion, especially when I had great
sources like the 83-year-old woman celebrating her birthday with the walk, a
91-year-old man and a few adorable little girls. My blog for TheSpectrum.com
talks further about my own tunnel experiences.
In the same day’s paper I had a story on a fascinating new
drug detox program at a local spa. Again, the sources were the key here as I
spoke with the eloquent Dr. Wilcox and convinced a 15-year-old (almost
16-year-old) heroin addict to talk with me as long as we didn’t use her name. This
is was only the second story in my five-year history at The Spectrum where I’ve
used unnamed sources. The only previous story was one involving a teenager boy
who is gay and his family. Unfortunately, given the political/religious climate
of Southern Utah, he is still in the closet at school because he fears for his
safety.
The next story came the following Sunday as I finally
released a story I had been working on for nearly two months featuring a couple
of local sisters who spent the summer teaching school in India. I’ve already
referred to the story — and how it brought me to tears — on this blog. Again, I
was blessed with an eloquent source in one of the sisters, Amy, who graciously
allowed me to quote the beautiful writing found in her blog.
That same Sunday I had the opportunity to attend a speech by
President Henry B. Eyring, first counselor in the First Presidency of The
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and one of my favorite church
speakers. Except this wasn’t a religious address. It was for students at Dixie
State College and featured stories from President Eyring’s own education. Like
the Zion tunnel story, my coverage of this event had to be quite short so I
expanded it with a lengthy blog post at TheSpectrum.com
Finally this week I had another story bring me to tears. I
don’t know if I’m just extra sensitive lately or if I’m just more in touch with
my emotions. But it would have been hard for most people not to cry when they
heard the story of “Maria.” Again — for the third time in my career — I wrote a
story with an unnamed source, whom I refer to as “Maria” instead throughout the
story. She is one of the most courageous people I’ve ever met. She’s a
23-year-old mother of a 6-year-old boy who fled her abusive husband more than a
year ago. The beatings he gave her hurt more than her body — they hurt her
soul. She lost her self-esteem and tried to commit suicide. But then she found
the Erin Kimball Memorial Foundation that helped her get back on her feet again
and find herself once more. She used the word “angels” to describe the amazing
women working with her there and I would agree.
Listening to Maria’s story I don’t know how anyone could raise a hand against her in anger. She just seemed so sweet and harmless. If she hadn’t told me she was 23 with a 6-year-old kid I would have figured she was still in high school. I just wanted to reach out and give her a big hug and protect her from that creature who failed to see her for who she really is. I’m normally not a violent person — I’m actually very much a pacifist — but I wanted to do to that man what he did to her … and worse.
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