Lynn Combs

“The greatest pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do.”

— Walter Bagehot

A teacher once told me I couldn’t write—and for decades, I believed them. I carried that sentence like a scar, letting it silence my creativity and dim my light.

But one day, I found the courage to challenge those words. Through the encouragement of a writers’ group and the spark of rediscovered passion, I began to remember who I was before doubt took root.

I once let a single sentence steal my dream. Now, I write to reclaim it—to remind myself and others that no one gets to define our worth or our potential. This is my story of resilience, rediscovery, and the fire within us all that refuses to go out.

This blog style post took first place in the Quotable Quote Blog Award at the 2025 Ozarks Creative Writers (OCW) Conference.