A Different Kind of Love

I've followed the usual Valentine's Day routine - present and card for my husband purchased from a store heaving with hearts, chocolates and romantic rhymes. We swapped cards and greetings this morning and there'll hopefully be some couple time this evening, if we can bribe the children to go to bed early.

For the past twelve years, it's been the same, cards and pressies and romantic meals. I'm not complaining. I love my husband dearly - he makes me chuckle and inspires me to be a better person - but there were years before that dozen when I was single and the one love that I always clung to on those days was my love of writing.

It's still there, although it now has to share me with a demanding family, but it gets its fair share of my time. I love to write for many reasons.

• Meeting new characters who come to me in the weirdest places.
• Seeing adventures in the most mundane circumstances.
• Moulding a story from the bare clay of 'what if' and 'why'.
• Signing off on a finished play and hearing a customer express how much they loved it. The fact that they see the same in it that I do is a gem of an experience.
• Being prevented from sleep by an idea that demands I write it down.
• Having the opportunity to share my stories with others.

I'm sure there are other reasons too. What about you? What do you love most about writing?