if we all were quakers

John came home from second grade today with an informational sheet called "Author's Purpose". It taught that authors may write to entertain, to inform, or to persuade. Of course I pounced on it because I was wondering where I would find myself in this list. I don't think I found me though.

I was sitting in my living room looking at our movies recently, not because I was planning to watch one or find another one for my awesome movie-from-my-cabinet reviews, but because our doors are broken on that cabinet so you can't help but look at them - especially when I sit by my favorite window out of which I can see my front street and Dave's house (see 08/31 post). Anyway, I was looking over the titles, the comedies, the dramas, the suspenseful, the children's. That very idea of purpose struck me in that moment. I was thinking that probably every movie ever written, or book written, or painting completed - all that artsy stuff - It's because somebody thought they had something to say. It's like the whole world is a Quaker church meeting, and the art produced is one person . . . standing up. I know - some people seem to say such stupid things. But I bet they mean it. They probably have a mission statement typed out and laminated and thumb-tacked to a cork board by their computer, "Life is stupid. We might as well laugh."

The writer of Pete's Dragon had a wonderful purpose I'm sure. If nothing else, it has some very catchy songs. Which is the only reason I have that picture up today - because I've been singing one of those songs all day, the one in which the Dragon sings in his own language and eventually the boy answers, "I - love - you - tooooo." It has nothing to do with anything. Except that Jake, who's 1-1/2, he sang it back to me today. I almost kissed his cheek right off his face.

If I could bottle that feeling into a purpose and put that into my books, you can bet I'd be standing up.