I'm parodying a powerful quote from Rob Hill Sr. A quote that, in the crazy ass world of right now, sho'nuff screams to me; because my goal, too, was to build a life I don't need a vacation from. Through tears, I'm scratching this one off my bucket list.

A writers life is, in a nutshell, arduous. The journey, however, wholly fulfilling. Take time to celebrate life. To embrace love. To relish those small victories for they are indeed rare for a storyteller. To wholeheartedly pursue your happiness unapologetically. In the end, both you and your literature, in an unbroken rhythm, will be seamlessly integrated.

Life is the hardest exam. Many of us will fail at this trying to mimic others. You see, we're all different and therefore the exam you take will be your own.

Stop killing my children. Have it all. My civil liberties. My basic human rights. It shouldn't be this way, but it is. And though I will struggle to refrain from telling you how much of an ingenious coward you are; you win.

To be a writer is to be forever burdened by the endless tug of war between that of your craft and your life.

Through the intense rage found behind every literary rejection and the myriad of artistic trials and tribulations; my one constant has always been the love of my life. My wife. My muse.