I have always had a passion for the power of words.  I earned a college degree in journalism, wrote advertising and PR copy for decades, drafted commentary to help place neglected kids in safe homes, wrote for many publications, and now I publish a magazine.

So why do I so often find myself thinking, “I wish I could write like that?”

How do some writers take us on a journey from Point A to “I never thought of it that way” and force us to think, laugh, cry, change our minds, change our lives?

My daughter Lindsey, who is likewise fascinated with words, and I discovered the NBC show, This is Us, and binge-watched straight through season one and impatiently waited for season two. This is some mighty fine writing, people!  And there are so many more.  This summer I plan to watch every season of Downton Abbey and all the Seinfeld reruns.  Then there are novels like The Poisonwood Bible, The Fault in Our Stars, The Art of Racing in the Rain, Me Before You. Movies like Cinderella Man, Saving Private Ryan, Forrest Gump, The Book Thief, Hidden Figures. Screenplays like Dear Evan Hanson, Wicked, Les Miserables, Phantom of the Opera.  Oh, heck, let’s not leave out Disney films and Dr. Seuss.  Of course, my list of favorites goes on and on, and I’m sure yours does too.

What is the common thread weaving these remarkable pieces of written art together? I think it is writers who have an unsurpassed ability for being honest and trusting at the same time. They don’t need to tell their audience what to think, believe or understand.  They trust that their prose will impact someone at their very core. These writers let people think for themselves.

Good Life Family strives to be in this category. Some of our contributors are full-time wordsmiths while others are professionals with an expertise in their respective fields. But all of us work painstakingly hard to bring you content that will inspire you, enlighten you, evoke emotion, affect change.  If you have just one ‘a-ha’ moment – be it a new recipe or life-altering advice – we’ve done our work.

Please share your thoughts, advice and, yes, even your personal accomplishments and photos with us. If it’s important to you, surely it’s important to someone else too.

I’m learning something new every day, and I can’t wait to see what I will know tomorrow.