Days Sixteen and Seventeen

"I used to think what I did was not very important. People are building bridges and engaging in medical research, and here I was doing stories about fictional people who do extraordinary, crazy things and wear costumes. But I suppose I have come to realize that entertainment is not easily dismissed."

Stan Lee (1922-2018)

When I was a kid, I found my love of storytelling at Sam's corner store.

Sam ran a mom and pop convenience store where I fell in love with comic books.

After finishing my mountain of Catholic school homework (and I do mean mountain), I'd race down the block to find out what D.C. Comics had in store for me that week.

That's where I fell in love with Superman, Catwoman, Wonder Woman written and illustrated by the late great Stan Lee.

When I found out the other day that he had passed away at age ninety-five a little piece of my heart broke.

And so it was that I headed back to my keyboard with a renewed fervor.

Storytelling is important.

Why?

Why not?

We learn about life through stories.

Granted, not many of us will don a cape and head for the Fortress of Solitude or fall in love with Lois Lane.

But we learn what it means to be the last of our kind (Superman)

How a kick-ass reporter achieves her goals (Lois Lane)

or ...

How to tell a super corny joke (Archie)

Thank you all for allowing me to be part of your storytelling world.

I am awed and humbled.

And maybe ... just maybe ... by living a creative life I'll make it to Stan Lee's ripe age of ninety-five.

P.S. - I achieved my word count goal today :)