What would you do

if someone you barely know
someone nice
walked right up to you
and gave you a present
a book about writing
because you needed a book about writing
and so this person
who is a poet, ( a good poet)
whose name you've only recently learned
went to the bookstore just before she knew that she would be seeing you
at the Buddhist poetry reading
and she paid $13.00 plus tax for this brand new book,
(and you know that is a lot of money for a poet)
and she presented it to you with a big warm smile
What would you do?
Would you write a mushy thank you note
(and worry a little about the quality of your writing)?
Yes, you would.
Would you feel good all day, and the next day because now there seems to be one more person in the world who cares about you and your writing?
Yes, you would.
Would you read that book and let the good counsel work on you until you couldn't wait to sit down and write?
Yes, you would do that.
Would you feel a little more hopeful in general, because some people can be surprisingly nice and generous?
Would you vow to become the kind of person who might want to buy a brand-new book for a near-stranger?
yes. You would.
Would you sit down and write and write and write and feel unafraid?
Yes, you would.
But
you might not post the best stuff on your blog
right away.
or ever.
You might be a little more patient and careful about what you write and when you share it.
You might start to wonder about blogging.
and other kinds of writing.
And what's what.
You might need to wonder a little bit.