Ben Mikaelsen's Story Three People Who Made a Difference

Writing is storytelling and all of us are authors, not just of words but of reality. You are the author of your life, so go out and live! Then never quit writing about it!" -Ben Mikaelson 

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Ben has written 8 books - all award winners.   Most popular Touching Spirit Bear and Petey, both realistic fiction, both unique.    

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Ben Mikaelsen’s Story – Three People Who Made A Difference

A few weeks ago I heard Ben Michaelson who wrote Touching Spirit Bear and Petey speak in Stevens Point.  He is a wonderful young adult author and an advocate for kids.  He told this following wonderful story.

He said, "I always want to make a difference with kids since I had a rough childhood." Then I decided I couldn't do it because it took so much commitment; I thought in order to make a difference I needed to adopt a child and give them a lifetime of effort and caring.  Then I looked at my own life and realized that there were three people who made a difference in my life and each of them gave me about fifteen minutes.

One was an airline pilot when I was 9.  I looked into the cockpit, and when the pilot looked at me I muttered, "I didn't do nothing.'" (I always expected I was in trouble with my parents. ) He said, "No, you haven't.  He invited me in and asked if I was a pilot. I muttered, “No.”

He said, “I bet you are.” He proceeded to invite me to sit in the pilot's seat and told me how to pull back on the wheel to go up and push forward to go down and right and left respectively. 

And then he said,  “Now fly.”

I hesitantly pulled on the wheel and was flying.   My moment of flight was short but when I stood up to leave he knelt down to me at eye level and said, "You've flown before, haven't you?"

Again I muttered, "No" 

He said, "Well, I bet you will be."  (I went on to take lessons and became a pilot when I was 17 even though my parents told me it was a  worthless endeavor.)

 
          The second person who gave me fifteen minutes was a librarian.  I went to a library to steal something.  The librarian asked if she could help me.

I said, "No."       

She then asked,  "Aren't you the one taking flying lessons?" I nodded.  She continued, "I think I have a book just for you.  It is about a flyer, a seagull." 

I said, "I don't want to read about a dumb seagull." 

She said, "This is not a dumb seagull. "  and she proceeded to tell me about Johnathan Livingston Seagull. 

I decided to give the book a try.  I couldn't read, but I struggled with it for nights under the covers. 

Three weeks later I met the librarian, and she said, "How you coming along with Johnathan?  You will need to return it next week, or I will have to give you a fine." 

I said, "I am not finished yet."

She asked, "How long will it take?"

I replied, "About three days." 

She said, "OK, I will expect it then.-- How many pages do you have left?”

I told her I had read it seven times and wanted to read it once more.  And if I could find her today I will tell her she changed my life.

             The third person who made a difference was a college professor.  I was assigned an essay by this professor.  When it was returned to me it was covered with red marks.  This professor called me into his office and I was sure I had failed. 

Instead, he said, "You are a writer.”

After my astonished, “What? He said,  “When I read your paper I cried, I laughed, and I had goose bumps." He added, "You do have a little trouble with the delivery so how about I help you get a tutor to polish it? I took him up on it and because of him I am standing before you today, a published author.

Dr. Sue Slick 2000