Pray for Monique

Monique is a 10 year old girl from Las Cruces, New Mexico, who has brain cancer and is seriously ill. Her family desperately craves your prayers on her behalf. At the moment, Monique is under treatment in Phoenix, Arizona. Her family resides in the Ronald McDonald House. Of course, they love her, and grieve for her during her her trials.

Many good stories are based on human emotion. Frequently plots are driven by emotion, and one of the best compliments one can give an author is to tell of one’s emotional response to their story. “I cried.” “I laughed.” “I was filled with joy.” “My heart ached.” Of course, some authors draw a story from their own emotions. Other authors find inspiration by viewing or hearing of the emotional responses of others. Some stories are classics because the emotions were poured out directly onto the printed page. Other stories have the emotions partially hidden behind metaphors or by characters with a “stiff upper lip”. Such stories burst into richness as the emotion breaks out of hiding. Authors must study the emotions of those around them.

I draw your attention to the blog kept by Adrian Vigil, vigiladrian@wordpress.com. Lest one thinks that this blog is a vigil, be aware that Vigil is a Spanish name. In Spanish, an I is pronounced like a long E and the G is pronounced as a H. Thus Adrian’s last name sounds like Veehill. To those intimidated by foreign pronunciations, let me confess that during my teaching days, I was constantly pronouncing this common New Mexican name incorrectly.

Adrian is Monica’s father. He has kept this blog during Monica’s illness. If one wants examples of how a man expresses his love for a sick child, read this blog. If a writer wants inspiration to write an emotional story, read this blog.

From a literary perspective, I do not know how I will use all of this input, but Monique has our prayers. She and her family have my prayers, my wife’s prayers and the prayers of our church.