It’s been almost twenty years since the movie The Bucket List hit the silver screen. After watching the film, I took some time to make my own bucket list — things I wanted to accomplish before my death. The #1 item on my list at that time was to write and publish a book. Ten years later, I published my first book, A Moment’s Pause for Gratitude. Since that time, I’ve written and published five more. While there is certainly a sense of accomplishment having done this, I am well aware that I didn’t do this on my own.

Writing that first book was initially a daunting task for me. What gave me the idea that I could write and publish a book? Who would have any interest in reading my book even if I did managed to publish it? These and other obstacles danced around in my head. The desire to write and publish was still there, but I was lacking the confidence to initiate the process.

In early 2017, I received an email pertaining to one of my blog posts. In that piece, I had mentioned the book Breakfast with Buddha, which my Mom had recommended to me. To be honest, the book title didn’t pique my interest, but Mom knew me better than anyone else and she thought I’d enjoy the book. She was right. Upon finishing the novel, I mentioned it in a blog post. Much to my surprise, just a few days later, I received an email message from the author, Roland Merullo, who lives in western Massachusetts. In a subsequent exchange of messages, he assured me that my writing skills were sufficient to write and publish. That’s what got me started.

As the manuscript for my first book was coming together, I had the privilege of meeting another author. Hal Urban is a graduate of the University of San Francisco. He devoted his life to teaching at the high school and university (USF) levels. He had also authored a number of books, one of which I had read before I met him. I decided to seek his guidance as I ventured toward publishing a book of my own. His mentorship, then and now, has been a blessing. 

One thing I have learned from my experience as a published writer is summed-up rather nicely by Michelle Obama in the quote above. “When you’ve worked hard, and done well, and walked through that door of opportunity, you do not slam it shut behind you. You reach back, and you give other folks the same chances that helped you succeed.” 

In the past few years, I’ve had the opportunity to help a few others publish their books. My Mom’s good friend, Bev, needed help republishing a previously published book about her ongoing recovery from a horrific car accident. My neighbor, Dominika, asked for my assistance editing and publishing her first book about growing up without siblings. My longtime friend, John, needed a little urging (and editing) to publish his book about the joys and challenges of nursing. And, most recently, I had the pleasure of working with my friend Patrick Maguire, the owner of Java Beach Café in The City, to publish his first book, All Things Beautiful. 

I find tremendous satisfaction in encouraging and assisting others to achieve their own dream of writing and publishing a book. I can easily relate to the words of Indian actor Gautam Rode. He said, “I think we forget sometimes how blessed we are to be able to help others and make a difference.” As Martin Luther King, Jr. pointed out, “Life’s most persistent question is: What are you doing for others?”