Uncle Mike.

My Uncle Mike, who unfortunately moved to Georgia a few years ago has been struggling with cancer recently. He says he's in recovery and planning to move out of the Confederacy and back to Michigan and soon as he's able.

He was always my favorite Uncle, the "cool" one whose own creative output was phenomenal. He, along with my other uncle, worked as a professional musician in the Sixties for Motown until they went to California. Uncle Mike stuck with it but some things in his personal life prevented him from going all the way. One night while sitting in his car, my Uncle Mike told a 15-year old me not to ever give up on my creative choice. I won't tell you why he told me this because it isn't for me to say, but he made me swear to him I never would.

Uncle Mike is now one of my most devoted readers. That means a lot considering my parents died before I was published and he was a very influential male figure in my early years. Because he is still recovering from cancer and because he refuses to get a computer, I have started mailing him copies of stories I've had published.

Recently, I sent him a text message advising I was about to send another one and received the following reply:

GREAT! It sure fills a void! By the way, I don't know if I told you, But I'm very proud of U!

I have no words~