August 13

[The Story Teller]

August 13
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Madeleine L’Engle
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“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”
—The Bible
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Born in 1918, the only child of strict parents, Madeleine L’Engle spent much of her childhood in the privacy of her room, where she often escaped into the world of books. Because of her father’s health, the family moved to Switzerland when Madeleine was twelve. There she attended an impersonal boarding school, where she was known only as “Ninety-seven.” At first, Madeleine had a negative view of herself, but after discovering the Bible, she began to relate to the “underdogs” that God seemed to use. In her isolation, Madeleine had begun to write, finishing her first story when she was five. She continued using that medium for expression and escape. Through her writing, she was able to have friends and work out problems that others had to solve in the flesh. As an adult, with more insight into the real world, Madeleine continued to experiment with writing and in 1959 sent a manuscript to a publishing house.



“This was a book I was sure of,” she remembers. It was about a twelve-year-old girl who had problems in school. She saw herself as ugly, dull, and clumsy, but soon discovered spiritual powers in the universe that were on her side. The book was rather unusual and was rejected by forty-two publishers. But the forty-third accepted the manuscript, and A Wrinkle in Time went on to win the prestigious Newberry Medal, a top award for children’s literature.



Consider This: Every person has a talent to share with the rest of the world. Even those people who have a difficult childhood can grow up to be the best in their field.



Submitted by Richard

 

[Sun_flwer]

 

[The Story Teller]

May your talent shine through..