"This Song's for You"

My sister is a crazy knitter. She's made some pretty remarkable things over the years, including a pair of pants. She often employs her talents to make cute, unique, and very personal gifts. All her bridesmaids' gifts were things she had knitted. For my birthday she knit (or, um, crocheted, I don't really know) a really cute pink headband for me.

I don't really have a crafty skill like that. I remember trying - and failing, around the third or fourth row every time - knitting. We used to make quilt squares when we were kids, but what do you with a square? I made a dress once. It was beautiful, but our choice of fabric was not so right and it happened to rip in the middle of the event I wore it to (hehe, how to make an already memorable event *more* memorable). So in general, I don't make things for people. I think during high school I managed to pass off some of my art projects as presents for my mom, but she seemed to like them, anyway.

The thing is, novels and screenplays don't make good gifts. One year I thought about it, taking my NaNo novel and getting a couple more copies from LuLu and mailing them to some members of my extended family, and while I'm sure they would have enjoyed it, it just seems a little... pompous. Only once did I actually give a story as a birthday present. It was my friend Lindsay B.'s birthday and I had been writing a goofy little story about her or something, and I finally finished it and wrapped it up in newspaper comics and gave it to her (I think I got her a real gift too). She didn't like the ending. I wrote another story about an inside joke during high school, but that one wasn't *for* anyone.

The thing is, I do write for people. I have stories I've actually written with someone in mind. And I would do it a whole lot more. I try to ask people what *they* would want to see or in which ways movies move them. I've even thought of getting in touch with the pastor at New Life to see what sort of themes and stories he think people need to see from the movies. I only have so many good ideas; I need some from other people. But really, I don't think I've gotten a real answer from anyone yet. I would love to write you a story. I would love to write about the issues you are dealing with, give you hope, make you cry, renew your faith. It's the only thing I know how to do. I know it doesn't sound like much, but maybe when you read it, you'll be surprised.

I don't know. Maybe everything I write is really just for me.