I met Ginny Minniger several years ago at a Chattanooga Writers Guild event. As we chatted that night, she remarked, "I don't write much." Later that evening, I had the pleasure of hearing her read some of her writing. My mouth fell open. I commented, "You don't write much? Wow. You should."
She entered "Love is Given" in my contest. I loved it when I read it, and the judges did, too. One of the judges said, "Several passages appealed to me, but I really like the ending thought of this one: 'It has represented what I knew to be true—love is a given in families. When I open one of the little drawers to retrieve a ring or small trinket, it’s like opening a secret panel to my heart.'"
Another judge praised Ginny's honesty. "Not all families are like the perfect families depicted in Norman Rockwell's paintings, soap operas, or Hallmark movies," one of the male judges said. "Love is demonstrated in more than words and hugs and perfect Christmases and birthdays. Some families don't know how to show love, but most of the time, it is there."
Ginny's story ranked second among the keepsake stories in the contest, and I mailed her a writer's journal earlier this week. I hope it will inspire her to write more. Here's her story.
To read other stories about keepsakes and the memories they hold, please purchase a copy of Project Keepsake. It's on sale now with no shipping and handling charges. And by the way, it's a great Christmas gift for a loved one, especially when paired with a keepsake.
And as always, I know you have a keepsake. Please share your keepsake story with me. Everyone has a keepsake, and every keepsake has a story to tell.