From your heart......

Have you ever been given a gift that you didn't realize, until much later, it's value?  This past week I was thinking of a gift that I was given, 20 plus years ago that I didn't realize, until this week, how valuable it really was.
For those of you who know me well, you know that I've always dreamed of writing, writing AND being published.  I've always spoken about it, lamented about it, dreamed about it, but to be honest I've never really ever done anything about it.  My bad.
In the last few weeks during my walking I've done a lot of thinking.  I'm allowing my mind the luxury of going back and remembering certain situations with a 41 year old hind site and mentality. 
Once upon a lifetime ago, I dated a gentleman named Scott.  No not that Scott, a different one.  Scott was the one who gave me the gift so I thought he deserved a bit of credit.  Scott (Scott P.) was an amazing gentleman.  I dated him in my very early 20's, and the fact that he was a gentleman is perhaps what I remember most.  He was the gallant type.  The type who would come pick me up at my apartment in the U District (Who remembers the basement of Peaches and  the soon to be famous Seattle grunge bands who would practice there?), and take me to his house in Lynnwood for gourmet home cooked meals, and deliver me safely back home with a gentle kiss on the cheek.  Very nice man who spoiled me rotten.  Okay...For those of you who may be freaking at this story and how Curtis will react, don't.  Curtis is the first person I've ever told this story to and he knows that I'm blogging about it.
ANYWAY.....
Scott thought I was brilliant. (Gotta love that trait in a man)  He was one of the first people that I trusted with my stories.  He would read them and encourage me to write more.  He was one of the first people I shared my dream of writing with and he encouraged me.  On my birthday he took me to a very upscale (at that time) bar in Seattle.  I remember my hair style (Demi Moore's Ghost haircut), and my grunge style (Hello it was Seattle) boots paired with my black catsuit and men's blazer.  I remember being ordered a white wine and being told my present would be there shortly.
My present came in the form of a quirky elderly gentleman dressed in a suit.  He sat directly in front of me and took my hands in his.  He told me he was a man who could "see the future".  He told me that he had the ability to see what was coming and that in his hands he held the hands of a writer.  I remember looking at Scott and raising my eyebrows.  Scott had hired this man to give me a "reading" for my birthday.  The gentleman proceeded to tell me that I had a great talent and that one day I would not only be a writer, but a published author he also warned me that this would only happen one way...."If you dedicate time, every day, to writing".  He assured me that this was the only way that I would see my dream.  He told me that the length of time every day didn't matter, just that I wrote, and wrote from the heart. Funny side note to this story is that I guess when I left to go to the ladies room Scott informed the elderly gentleman that he was in love with me and the gentleman cautioned him by telling him that my next great love would not be him, but be the man on the hill.  (Which is another great story, for another day.)
I remember this story fondly, but I'm now wondering if Scott paid a random man to come and say these things to me, or if this man was someone who really did "readings"?  I'm also wondering if it really matters?  The gift was that someone believed in me and gave me amazing advice.  Write, every day and from my heart.  What wonderful words, what wonderful advice....A gift given 20 plus years ago that I'm just now realizing the value of.
Thank you Scott P. for the gift.  Thank you Curtie for allowing giving me your ear to hear the stories as I slowly uncover and disect them.
Do I love you?  OHMYDOI
****Oh yes...I almost forgot.  I only got 23 miles in this week (walking only).  I was sick earlier in the week and was unable to get many miles in.  I will be adding these 23 to my miles next week and updating my map.