Yes She Can ... And So Can You

It’s been a long time since I felt like I could do anything I set out to do, so I’m living vicariously through my daughter. (You’re welcome to, too.) At 16, Madeline’s already decided she wants to be a journalist when she grows up. But why wait?

Last year, she and a friend started talking about making their own magazine. Two weeks ago, they sat in my living room with 8 fully designed, written, and edited spreads of the soon-to-be-printed Edge magazine. They came up with the concept and all of the story ideas, and then “hired” a young designer to work on spec. Next up: pitching local businesses to advertise.

I had nothing to do with this project…which is exactly how it should be.

A few days ago, when were together in the car, I told Madeline how cool it was that they had made this magazine happen. Most people don’t follow through on their big ideas, I said. Like the time my friend Louise and I thought of creating cliff notes for book-group books and did nothing about it, only to have Barnes and Noble launch its own series a year later. Or that other time when…

Madeline responded with great conviction: “If there’s something you want to do, you just have to do it. And don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t.” She laughed, adding, “I should be a motivational speaker!”

I bet she could, too.