After the loss, Jack walked off the field, but away from the dugout. He exited the field through a side gate at the end of the dugout. His mother Lillie watched from the stands as her only child walked head-down toward their car.
“Jack, wait up!” she called out as she ran to catch up with him.
“I’m sorry your team lost the game.” she said as she put her arm over his shoulder and drew him in for a tight hug.
“C’mon mom.” he shrugged away from her and sniffled.
“You’re not too big for a hug from your mom.” she told him.
“It’s OK to cry, Jack. Disappointments will happen in your life and it’s OK to be upset by that disappointment. Tears are a part of it.”
“I’m not crying.” his denial wasn’t convincing.
“I’m not saying you are crying. Only that it’s OK to cry when we lose. So long as you move on for the next big thing. You can’t let it keep you down.”
“But I dropped the ball. It’s my fault we lost.” he cried. Jack’s tears flowed.
“Sweetheart, I know. But you’ll do better next time.”
“No, I won’t. I’m not going back.” Jack pushed away from his mother and ran to the car, jerked the door open and slammed it closed.
Lillie sat next to Jack and started the engine, turned on the air conditioner and turn off the radio.
“You can’t let one bad moment spoil it for you, Jack.” Lillie said.
“You don’t get it.” Jack tearfully replied.
“What don’t I get, Jack?”
“I looked stupid out there. When I go to practice Tuesday and when I go back to school. You just don’t understand, man.” Jack smashed his palm on the dashboard.
“Jack!. Get a hold of yourself.” Lillie grabbed his left forearm and held it tightly.
“There’s no reason for hitting and reacting this way. Okay?” Lillie’s voice stressed as she tried to reign in her own emotions. Don’t let Jack get the better of you again. Be strong. Be confident. Be firm and fair. Don’t get into the weeds with him.
“Why don’t we go get a shake and a burger and then…” she trailed off. I can’t do this again. I’ve got to stop rewarding him when he fails.
“I don’t want a shake I want go home.” Jack yelled.
“Well, that’s not going to happen.” Lillie countered. I don’t care if you yell at me or not, we’re going to Dairy Queen with the rest of your team and you’re going to hang out with your teammates and friends and see what happens.”
“No.” Jack whined.
“Yes, you are.” Lillie said firmly. She threw the gearshift into reverse and backed out of the parking spot. She looked at Jack. “You’re going to have to decide today if you’re going to live your life with courage or as a coward.”
With that Lillie shifted into drive, spun the tires and drove off to Dairy Queen.
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Writing Journal Post #00001
I’m adding a writing journal today because I realized that I’m not writing much. I’m not reading much either. That said, I have been reading a few books and learning some new things.
However, the reason I’m writing this is that, if you have read or noticed, I’m also writing a Diet Journal on another page here on the website. I noticed something today in a conversation I was having with my wife over Skype. She is also on the same diet, but not journaling or weighing every day. This will relate to writing momentarily. She seems to get discouraged by any weight-gain, in spite of previous losses that prove the gain will ultimately be mitigated if she maintains the program that caused the previous loss. To me, that seems all-to clear.
The Writing Process – Learning
I’ve recently “completed” my first Character Questionnaire. 
This is an important step in my growth as a writer for several reasons. I’ve numbered the reasons below to quantify the accomplishments this one exercise has brought me.
- I completed something, that’s an accomplishment.
- I was creating a new Protagonist and I was able to peer into his mind just a bit.
- I began to connect with this new Protagonist so much that I felt like I was truly him, from time to time, when answering the questions.
- I’d not experienced that level of immersion before.
- While answering those 75 questions, I learned the story of this character, where he’s been and were he is now and that’s a huge part of the story I’m going to tell.
- It’s work already done, almost like the outline built itself.
- Because I began to understand the character, learning tidbits from his past and present, that’s made it so much easier to project his future with a level of complexity, honesty and earnestness I’ve not achieved before.
- It’s made it easier to imagine a more practical and reasoned series of obstacles for him to overcome.
- It’s allowed me to flesh out the world he lives in by connecting his earlier experiences and current experiences to an entire world. That has spur fresh ideas and takes on the world I wasn’t sure of, that now I am significantly more confident that I can create with a thoroughness I’ve not achieved before.
- It’s given me confidence that I can moved forward as a writer and storyteller.
- It’s proven to me that I can imagine, create and disseminate thoughtful and emotionally impactful scenes.
- It’s relieved me of one of my biggest fears.