Youthisnotatimeoflife,itisastateofmind;itisnotrosycheeks,redlipsandsuppleknees,itisamatteroftheemotions:itisthefreshness;itisthefreshnessofthedeepspringsoflife.
Youthmeansatemperamentalpredominanceofcourageovertimidityoftheappetite,foradventureovertheloveofease.Thisoftenexistsinamanof60morethanaboyof20.Nobodygrowsoldmerelybyanumberofyears.Wegrowoldbydesertingourideals.
Yearswrinkletheskin,buttogiveupenthusiasmwrinklesthesoul.Worry,fear,self–distrustbowstheheartandturnsthespiritbacktodust.
Whether60of16,thereisineveryhumanbeing‘sheartthelureofwonders,theunfailingchildlikeappetiteofwhat’snextandthejoyofthegameofliving.Inthecenterofyourheartandmyheartthere’sawirelessstation:solongasitreceivesmessagesofbeauty,hope,cheer,courag
WhenIwasfifteen,IannouncedtomyEnglishclassthatIwasgoingtowriteandillustratemyownbooks.Halfthestudentssneered,therestnearlyfelloutoftheirchairslaughing.“Don’tbesilly,onlygeniusescanbecomewriters,”theEnglishteachersaidsmugly,“AndyouaregettingaDthissemester.”IwassohumiliatedIburstintotears.
ThatnightIwroteashortsadpoemaboutbrokendreamsandmailedittotheCapri’sWeeklynewspaper.Tomyastonishment,theypublisheditandsentmetwodollars.Iwasapublishedandpaidwriter.Ishowedmyteacherandfellowstudents.Theylaughed.“Justplaindumbluck,”theteachersaid.Itastedsuccess.I’dsoldthefirstthingI’deverwritten.Thatwasmorethananyofthemhaddoneandifitwasjustdumbluck,thatwasfinewithme.
DuringthenexttwoyearsIsolddozensofpoems,letters,jokesandrecipes.BythetimeIgraduatedfromhighschool,withaCminusaverage,Ihadscrapbooksfilledwithmypublishedwork.Inevermentionedmywritingtomyteachers,friendsormyfamilyagain.Theyweredreamkillersandifpeoplemustchoosebetweentheirfriendsandtheirdreams,theymustalwayschoosetheirdreams.
Ihadfourchildrenatthetime,andtheoldestwasonlyfour.Whilethechildrennapped,Itypedonmyancienttypewriter.IwrotewhatIfelt.Ittookninemonths,justlikeababy.IchoseapublisheratrandomandputthemanuscriptinanemptyPampersdiaperspackage,theonlyboxIcouldfind.I’dneverheardofmanuscriptboxes.TheletterIenclosedread,“Iwrotethisbookmyself,Ihopeyoulikeit.Ialsodotheillustrations.Chaptersixandtwelvearemyfavourites.Thankyou.”Itiedastringaroundthediaperboxandmaileditwithoutaselfaddressedstampedenvelopeandwithoutmakingacopyofthemanuscript.
AmonthlaterIreceivedacontract,anadvanceonroyalties,andarequesttostartworkingonanotherbook.CryingWind,thetitleofmybook,becameabestseller,wastranslatedintofifteenlanguagesandBrailleandsoldworldwide.IappearedonTVtalkshowsduringthedayandchangeddiapersatnight.ItraveledfromNewYorktoCaliforniaandCanadaonpromotionaltours.MyfirstbookalsobecamerequiredreadinginnativeAmericanschoolsinCanada.