February is Black History Month and I spent some time learning about Harriet Tubman as part of a high school English class I taught.  I know you have to be asking what the founder of the Underground Railroad has to do with my writing.  And I’m going to tell you how Harriet Tubman keeps my writing going.

But First

Here are a few facts about Harriet Tubman:

• Through her efforts, she led some 300 slaves to freedom, at great risk to her own life.
• Even though she was an epileptic (probably secondary to a beating) she lived to be 92 years old.
• Her efforts gave hope to thousands
• At one point, there was a dead or alive reward of $40,000.  Translated into today’s dollars, that’s a few million.  That’s Osama Bin Laden reward kind of money folks.

Can you imagine the tenacity of this hero?  Given the danger to her, it is hard for me to fathom.

On to lil’ ol’ me

So what does this have to do with me and my writing?

It’s got everything to do with it, frankly.  When I get down or grumpy about my numbers being down, or an off color comment left for me, or if I start having a pity party because I can’t find my muse, I remind myself what great people have endured to do something that they believe in.  And I say to myself, “Do you believe in what you are doing?  Do you know that you can make a difference?  How bad are things, anyway?”

And it all becomes clear

I do this because I believe I have something worthwhile to say.  Suppose that even one of my posts causes someone to go out and do what they have always wanted but were afraid to.  I do believe that what I do makes a difference, and I believe that by holding on to even a thread of the tenacity of Harriet Tubman I can leave things a little better than when I arrived.

Joanna Young over at Confident Writing is making February the month of tenacity.  How fortuitous. How appropriate.

I am taking the time right now to reaffirm my tenacity.

Are you tenacious enough to follow along?