I'm an avid reader. I've always felt like reading and writing go hand in hand. I was reading at a very young age and I remember the first series I ever read was The Babysitters Club. As I got older, I became obsessed with The Princess Diaries series. I also loved going on vacation to visit historical places because the gift shops always had a chain of books called Dear America and My America. They were the perfect companion for those long road trips that accompanied vacation.
That said, I've always been a fan of reading memoirs of the journalists and writers who came before me. I want to learn about what they did and how it helped in their career. Sadly since COVID-19, a lot of things have gone virtual. It started out with my adult tap dance class, followed by virtual Zoom meetings, Skype interviews, and most recently, a virtual book tour that I attended.
One of my favorite anchors on the TODAY Show is that of Jenna Bush Hager. She's just always seemed super genuine and honest. I've always wondered what life was like inside the walls of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue and in her first book, Sisters First, with her twin sister Barbara, she discussed it.
In Everything Beautiful in its Time, Jenna shares stories of her beloved grandparents whom the public knew, but also her mother's parents who were very different from each other. Jenna discusses loss and grieving. It's quite different from her first book.
When I found out that Jenna was coming to Richmond, Virginia on her book tour, I eagerly bought tickets. I have always loved watching her on Hoda and Jenna and knew I wanted to hear what she had to say about her book. I counted down the days until the event which sadly in the end, ended up rescheduled until September because of COVID-19.
Thinking that by September we might have COVID under control, I was excited that I'd still get to attend Jenna's book launch. Unfortunately, it was once again cancelled, this time indefinitely and my dream of meeting Jenna had ceased to exist.
I have been on the set of the TODAY Show before, but Jenna had not joined the team yet. It was a cool experience to even just be on the set. I remember taking photos sitting at the anchor desk, but in my head I was dreaming of the day that I would actually be paid to sit there.
On September 9th, Jenna discussed her new book on an online streaming platform. I picked which conversation to attend and wanting to be surprised, I chose the option that didn't tell you who the moderator was until you signed on. Lucky for me, the moderator was Jenna's twin sister Barbara!
The hour conversation was super in depth. I really enjoyed learning about Jenna's favorite stories of her grandparents and how she remembers them. Something she said though really stuck with me.
"Writing is a passion. It's something I've always been good at. Shortly after Gampy passed, I remember pulling out a pencil and paper and just writing my thoughts. After a while, those thoughts became the very beginnings of this book."
Jenna hit the nail on the head. When I write, it often becomes a project that I hadn't even set out to accomplish. Writing helps me sort out my feelings and helps me solve my problems. The best part about my notebook is that I can be as honest as I want. I've often written letters to family members after they have passed away, telling them all the things I wish I would have while they were alive. Writing is therapeutic for me and it will always have a special place in my heart.
After Jenna's virtual book launch, I found that my passion for writing was reignited. I had this new sense of excitement every time someone would ask me to help them write. I suddenly had the urge to get my professional life together and inspire the writers of tomorrow. I slowly started to realize that my writing did matter.
On September 22, I was given the opportunity to meet with Jenna one on one. It was the coolest experience! While it only lasted a minute, I was excited to tell her about how her book launch helped to inspire me. I also made a promise to her that if I ever happen to be on the TODAY Show set again, that I'd reach out to her and meet her in person. She was one of the kindest fellow journalists I've ever met.
While many things in life have been taken away because of coronavirus, thanks to the internet, things can still go on. If this pandemic has taught me anything, it's to be grateful. Grateful for the time spent with friends, grateful for the memories that I have in my mind to day dream about, grateful for more time spent with my family during our Saturday night game night. It's also taught me to be grateful for connections. Thanks to Jenna, I am now excited and hell bent on becoming the best writer I can be.
Signing off,
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