John Ross:  

Writing as J Jay Ross on Amazon in books, a musical playwright and screenwriter: Thirty-five years is almost here since high school. As I grow older and write new stories about fictional events and people, I find more and more that a few personalities end up in my characters and even more I grow to miss many of those I spent time with incarcerated in our education system. Not just those that made life difficult for me (yes I have a list) but those who just breezed through and I haven't seen or spoken to in more than thirty years. Fictional characters are based on traits that I gleaned from those whom I've met, had relationships with and in some cases, miss dearly. Even though youth is a difficult time of experiencing growing pains and developing minds, other paths are created. Some of us went to another state or even country, some of us just drifted off the "grid" and will never be found (mainly because they don't want to be found), I have begun to wonder about those who had an impact on my life (as well as various other body parts occasionally), where they are and what they are doing. many won't me to know, others might be looking for a reason. some might just be wandering around aimlessly hoping they are not alone feeling separated for oh so many years. A few have passed on, my hearts aches for those closest to me who died in accidents or of other causes, many of them are enshrined in brief characters (out of respect) and others are just named on the page that precedes the first chapter of my novels. Soon we are will face our own version of mortality, our marks on this world will range from great to just barely a blemish on history or even anonymously grace the lives of others enough to make a distant smile or brief appearance in a dream or thought. As we say goodbye to the first thirty and welcome the next, we should keep in mind in these tumultuous times should bring us all closer together, ...Expand for more