There are times when I surprise myself–I mean really, really surprise myself–as a professional writer. I wish I could be more specific here and give you details and even brief excerpts, but the client I’m serving asked me to sign an NDA (a Non-Disclosure Agreement) so I have to keep under my hat all aspects that might identify this nationally-renowned organization.

Pity. I sooooooo wish I could tout my association with this company to the moon and back! I love it; I have been a beneficiary of its mission ever since  grade school (and so have you, probably); its existence, then and now, has continued to abundantly bless me–and probably you and your children and grandchildren as well.

But perhaps it’s enough to say that I took a bullet list of talking points sent to me by the executive assistant of the president of this company and turned them into a year-end letter to the company’s employees. It took me about fifteen minutes to fashion the first draft and another twenty five or so to make it stellar (but I just charged for 30 minutes because of the blessing they’ve been to the nation for decades).

I thought the result of my laser-like efforts was awfully good; certainly more than sufficient to offer as the “first submitted draft” for the executive’s assistant’s and president’s review.  The response I got back from the executive assistant confirmed this: “This is lovely! Thank you!!”  So it was a done deal and they were satisfied. YAY!

But it was while I was re-reading it this morning from a truly objective viewpoint (not as its author but as its ‘recipient’) that I  realized how great it really is.  I knew when I sent it that I could claim it as my own (that I wouldn’t be embarrassed had it gone out under my own signature), but I really had no idea that I would get goosebumps and a tear in my eye this morning when I read it again!  I mean, that just doesn’t happen every day!!!

It isn’t often that I knock my own socks off, because I expect good: I expect to exceed the expectations of my clients; but rarely do I exceed MY expectations. (I expect to exceed my own expectations about as often as any other artist –which is “next door to never“)!

So to say “I’m happy” with the result is underplaying my emotion by a bunch.  I wish I could exactly feel this way about every piece I write for clients. But if I could do that, I’d have to have a keyboard connected to heaven instead of to my all-too-human fingertips.

But when something super-satisfying like this happens, I know without a doubt, that my muse has divine connections. I’ve always known that. To take total credit for this kind of result on my merits along would be unforgivable arrogance.

I love words. God produced my brain and its love of words.

“In the beginning was the word.”

Words create our worlds. We use them (wisely or unwisely, artfully or not) to build or to destroy, to elevate orto subjugate, to aspire or to vegetate, to inspire and energize or bring people to a standstill.

I’m immensely grateful that I love words so. And I’m grateful that others understand the immense value of powerful writing. Without those folks, I’d be in a world of hurt because I make my living stringing words together to best effect.

Wordsmith the perfect profession for me…