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In second grade my father gave me his massive Smith-Corona typewriter and it was instant love. The same when I got on my first Mac in 1986. It still amazes me that I can type with my fingers and words come out of the machine. I wrote obsessively as a child. I carried around notebooks like Harriet the Spy. In middle school I wrotes medieval adventure stories with my classmates as characters-- the pages were read as they were produced and passed around and the story followed like a serial. My teachers told me I should be a journalist, my mother said I would be a famous novelist...nobody noticed that what I was really into was the research and the actual mechanics of writing. It wasn't until I started creating websites and writing content for them that I realized that I love to write technical articles, how-to pieces, non-fiction. My biggest calling in life is not writing, however much I love it; it is as lay psychologist. Since I was very small people have felt comfortable telling me their problems. I thought I might go into counseling psychology (like my dad), but after talking to many people in the field who were completely burned out on helping people, I decided not to go into it formally, but to practice something I call "guerilla love", that is, active listening and support to whomever I meet who seems to need it, on the spot. This way, as it wouldn't be a job, I couldn't get burned out on what I felt was my most important calling. My writing and career as an editor have led me to a place ( the editing office of a graduate institute) where I can indulge my passion for words and my abality to create a space in which people feel compfortable being themselves.

Florinda,
I just want to tell you how glad I am that you've shared this and how much I agree with your friend - I think you are a wonderful writer. I really relate to what you say - I love to write (I don't know how great I am at it, but I love it. I think I love it so much because English is my second language and it was so hard for me to learn it - hard work brought good results and I cherish that.) I am the main breadwinner in the family so as much as I might want to just be a writer, I know I can't. But I've tried to not let that go - I've written a book, I write a lot for the site, and some fiction for myself when I can steal some time. I find it fulfilling and I hope that you will continue to make time for your passion - here at Work It, Mom! I can say that we are beyond thrilled that you've found it!:)