My 35th high school reunion .. reconnecting with friends I haven’t seen in eons and dancing with the astoundingly beautiful girls that I could have never imagined dancing with 35 years earlier …

The birth of my gorgeous daughter; bringing home my adopted all-boy son at the ripe old age of 31 days on the planet …

Going to see my childhood musical heroes, The Monkees, at a reunion concert with my date and a select few of my closest friends in the universe …

In my 53 years and counting, these made the “Mike Fernandez Top 10 Life Events of All Time.” Taking a wistful-yet hopeful look toward next year – and at the same time contemplating the present days and reflecting on what was (and could have been) in 2010 – my thoughts turned to those memorable milestones that have not only shaped me, but MOVED me on this often perilous and fragile journey.

While the task may seem daunting, the criteria for tonight’s Top 10 (apologies, Mr. Letterman) was simple: What are those events/circumstances that I vividly remember, in minute detail, that still put a smile on my face and a stirring in my heart days, months and years removed?

Yes, question from the back: “Hey thanks for sharing Mike. So what’s taking a stroll down your personal memory lane have to do with writing?”

So glad you asked. Pretty much everything.

Writing is about passion … description … detail … emotion. It’s about a personal connection with you and the one who reads. When you come to a place where you discover that what you’ve just written is nothing but rote, try the “Personal Top 10 Life Events” exercise. Go ahead. Give it a try. Awaken a few personal memories and stir the soul.

For you .. and, ultimately, your audience …