Local Author to Speak to Creative Writing, Newspaper Students

March 15, 2016

A local author is slated to speak to creative writing, newspaper, Honors 9 and Honors 10 students April 5.

Mike Lambiotte, author of Life Through These Eyes, will read an excerpt from his book and talk to students about his career in writing and education.

Life Through These Eyes is a collection of short stories spanning six decades of life experiences.

“Be prepared to laugh, to cry, and above all, think” touts the book’s introduction. It is available in bookstores as well as www.amazon.com.

Lambiotte is a native of Harrison County. He moved to Virginia where he had a storied career in education. He and his wife, Sandra, returned to Clarksburg when he retired from Virginia Beach City Public Schools with 32 years of service.

He freelances for the Clarksburg Exponent-Telegram and is the author of a blog, “Hello World,” which can be reached @ http://michaelslambiotte.com.

The speaking

Excerpt from Life Through These Eyes

Beauty in Nothing

“How seldom do we hold tranquility.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

The first big snow storm of the season had just ended. As I sat on the edge of the bed, I could look out the window and tell this was going to be a beautiful morning.

The tree limbs were sagging under the weight of the snow. Icicles were dangling from the edges of the roof and I could almost see the cold.

Deep white was everywhere.

My morning routine is highly predictable: Make the coffee, let Merry out the back door to sniff what the night had left. And I retrieve the newspaper.

When I opened the front door and stepped outside to rescue the paper from the morning snow, I wasn’t prepared for what my senses were about to reveal.

There was no wind. Nor the sound of a car. No snow plows rumbling up the street. No movement anywhere. Total silence. Nothing!

The birds which usually greet me were silent and no where seen.

The neighborhood snow shovels which were so active the day before were silent.

My senses revealed ‘nothing’ but pure silence. At that very moment I truly understood what Emerson meant by tranquility.

I realized I was experiencing “Beauty in nothing.”