Abbott "Pete" Smith D.V.M. June 16, 1938 - February 22, 2010 |
Welcome to Milliron Monday where every Monday we celebrate the legacy of Pete Smith, D.V.M., and Milliron: Abbott “Pete” Smith, D.V.M. The Biography (Monday Creek Publishing 2017), including his wife Jody (1938-2021).
“For me, writing is the most accessible and interesting of the
arts or crafts which would satisfy a need for creative self-expression.”
― Jody Smith
In 1967, Jody applied to Westport Connecticut's Famous Writers School. The application required an aptitude test, which she scored well and was accepted. Her first assignment was Why I am Studying Writing.
A literature major at Colorado State University, Jody was a prolific writer with deep thoughts and emotional offerings. Her stories are based upon real life; the struggle from debutante, to housewife, to mother.
Why I am Studying Writing
by Mrs. Abbott P. Smith
I'm studying writing to escape from the rut of non-thinking busywork which I've crept into since graduating from college. For the past several years, I've felt a need for directed study to replace my aimless "binges" of reading (lately replaced more and more frequently by even more aimless television watching). I've chosen writing, because of the encouragement of my grandmother, now a retired high school English teacher. She's long felt that I had talent for creative writing, but the harder she pushed the idea, the more stubbornly I resisted it.
Having outgrown that impulse to resist, I'm now expecting to find in the study of writing the self-discipline needed for the continual growth involved in developing a cultivated, "well-furnished" mind. This would be a major step toward achieving the greatest ambition of my life. . . the development of a disciplined character as the means to the higher good to an inner faith - the deep peace of the heart and mind, the Christian "peace of God, which passeth all understanding." (Philippians, iv, 7). The responsibility involved is well stated by Emerson, "Nothing can bring you peace but yourself; nothing can bring you peace but the triumph of principles."
More specifically, I hope to sharpen my awareness of the world and its peoples. I hope to discover and learn to express some of the truths of life. In particular, I'd like to help combat prejudices on some of its many levels. For me, writing is the most accessible and interesting of the arts or crafts which would satisfy a need for creative self-expression.
I have another incentive for studying writing. Upon completion of the Famous Writers School course, I plan to begin graduate studies at the nearby university. I'm sure learning to express myself clearly will be a major factor in the success of my efforts toward a masters degree. Conversely, my university studies should also add to my work as a writer.
A final, basic, although much less philosophical reason for my studying writing, is the chance of earning some money of my own. A career in writing seems to be one of the few part-time jobs which could enhance my major role in life, that of wife and mother. Writing, as our children grow older and home duties lessen, should increase from a part-time to a nearly full-time occupation.
In the Smith family archives, there are many notebooks of stories written by Jody - both from high school and college. I am in the process of creating a collection of Jody's literary works. This collection will be gifted to those who attend her Memorial Service in September.
Have a great week ahead.
Connect with Gina...
Through captivating, powerful, and emotional anecdotes, we celebrate the life of Dr. Abbott P. Smith. His biography takes the reader from smiles to laughter to empathy and tears. Dr. Smith gave us compelling lessons learned from animals; the role animals play in the human condition, the joy of loving an animal, and the awe of their spirituality. A tender and profound look into the life of a skilled veterinarian.
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