Writing from the Heart

Words are events, they do things. –Ursula K. Le Guin

We carry stories around in our heads all our lives, often forgetting about them until we see an image in a photo, experience a dream or hear a word dropped from a conversation or song. For me, the word speck triggered a memory, and suddenly a story written in fourth grade came into clear view. Mrs. Matthews, my teacher, assigned an essay on the topic of  “Favorite Animals” and we were supposed to write with strong emotion. Oh, I thought that would be easy. Being with Speck, my brindle-colored rat terrier, was like being with a best friend. He was a cuddly bundle of fifteen pounds who accompanied me on solitary walks all over the farm. I did talk to him, only occasionally I told my friends; but when I told him something of great importance, Speck would cock his head as if he understood. Through rain or snow, he waited for me after school and when the bus pulled up, he yipped and barked, saying hello in dog language.