The Little Girl’s Question

Wisdom from a Fifth-Grader’s Curiosity

The teacher moderated one last question from the hundred or so fifth-graders sitting in front of me. She pointed at a little girl with her patient arm raised high.

“What advice would you give to young kids who want to become an author?”

I smiled as the teacher praised her for such a great question.

One of the greatest joys of being a writer is speaking about the craft, especially with young kids. For the second year running, a local elementary school invited me to share my journey as an author and the process of writing books. Their eager attention to every detail, wide-eyed curiosity, and unshakable belief in a future full of possibilities—a blank canvas awaiting their brushstrokes—make it truly special.

So, after being asked dozens of questions—what my books are about, how much they cost, who my favorite author is, and asked again what my books are about—I delighted in giving advice to aspiring young writers.

The funny thing is that before speaking to the elementary kids that day, I had a couple of key points I wanted to highlight. The first was sharing how stories are shared, communal experiences that tell us who we are, the struggles we face, and how we work through and rise above them. The second key point I wanted to hit was telling kids to find joy in what they do and not to worry about the approval or validation of others. While I remembered the first point, I completely forgot to mention the second one.

That is, until the little girl asked her question right on cue.

“The advice I am going to give you can be applied to writing,” I said. “But it is a broader life lesson to all of you sitting here. Find joy in the things you love to do, in the art that you create, in the craft that makes your heart beat fast. Don’t do it for the likes or loves on social media. Don’t do it for the attention or approval of other people. Do it because you love it. The reason I know this is because I spent too much time worrying about who would like my writing, who would buy my books or subscribe to my weekly essays, and it robbed me of the joy I have in creating and expressing myself.”

I don’t know if they fully understood or appreciated the wisdom in my response, but as I watched a hundred hopeful faces smiling back at me, I knew I’d given them something true, something real, something they might remember one day when they needed it most.

Question

In the things I do—whether at work, in my relationships, or in my daily life—am I finding genuine joy and fulfillment for myself, or am I chasing external validation and approval from others?

Peace,

Brandon

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