I’ve never been what you’d call on the cutting edge when it comes to famous people and pop culture.

My first concert was the WV Symphony Orchestra conducted by Henry Mancini when I was in high school. My second was Glenn Yarborough when I was in college. That time I asked to go backstage and meet the man. He seemed confused as to why I was there.

And when it comes to wanting to meet celebrities my top choices have been Gregory Peck (who is gone–sigh), Jan Karon (met her twice–she’s delightful!), John Hagen (the cello player in Lyle Lovett’s band), Francine Rivers (still hoping!), and Wendell Berry.

So, when I saw that Mr. Berry would be speaking at the Hindman Settlement School in Kentucky as part of their Appalachian Writer’s Workshop, I signed up for a ticket (which was FREE!!).

I sat in the front row and when Wendell Berry came in and sat just down the way from me, I couldn’t stop grinning. There he was. My literary hero. I first discovered him when I realized Dad’s copy of Farming a Handbook was NOT an instruction manual but rather poetry. Really amazing poetry about, of all things: putting up hay, sowing clover, wild geese, trees, rivers, the land and very being of Appalachia.

I had no idea such poetry existed. And then I discovered his stories and his essays and I was hooked. I even wrote him a letter 20 years or so ago, which he very politely answered.

Honestly, it’s largely Wendell Berry’s fault that I’m a writer. Reading his work gave me permission to write about what I know best–the people in and the place where I grew up.

He was a delight to listen to and meet. Humble, thoughtful, and patient with the long line of fans waiting for his signature. I brought him a new copy of Farming a Handbook for his signature and explained that it had been a sort of handbook for me–teaching me, encouraging me to write.

And then I gave him one of my books and said it was the fruit of the seed his book planted. He thanked me. And while it’s possible he was just being polite, I got the feeling he really did mean, “thank you.”

Okay. That was a trick.

This could really be about high school anywhere, not just in Appalachia. But I grew up in  a small town squarely in the middle of Appalachia, so we’ll call that good enough for Appalachian Thursday.

Plus, I just want to tell you this.

I didn’t date much in high school. Senior prom was my first official “date.” This could have been due to the fact that I was “coach’s daughter.” Plus, my wrestling coach dad was a math teacher and six-foot, four.

Or, as Dad suggested, it could be because I was so smart and so beautiful the boys were afraid to ask me out. I prefer the second reason, but suspect the first.

Anyway. My husband and I were watching a televised concert last weekend and the band began playing a song I recognized. I laughed and said, “I started to say this is a song I danced to in high school, but actually this is a song I wished someone had asked me to dance to in high school.”

Guess what he did? Yup. He danced with me.

This, my friends, is why, after 21+ years of marriage, I can so highly recommend the institution. My husband and I have only danced a few times in those decades, but each dance has been perfect and memorable whether it was our wedding day or a Saturday evening in our pajamas.

This, I think, is one of the secrets to a good marriage. Filling each other’s gaps.

And he’s from the South.

I don’t often write about movies. Maybe because I don’t watch that many. Two hour chunks of time are typically reserved for reading or writing. But this past weekend, my husband and I stumbled upon a movie called “About Time” and it was EXACTLY the kind of story I like best.

The story was created by the same guy who did “Notting Hill” and “Love Actually,” which makes me wonder how I missed it. It’s a story about Tim–a sweet and slightly goofy British guy who learns at the age of 21 that all the men in his family can travel in time. Although it’s only to the past and only in their own lives. What would you do with such a gift? If you’re Tim, you’ll try to get a girlfriend.

The characters are delightful and winsome. The story is charming and sweet. But there’s a deeper message about appreciating love and life that makes this movie a new favorite for me.

So what makes this movie my favorite kind? The use of science fiction/magic/miracles to emphasize a universal truth. But only a little sci-fi/magic/miracle. It’s adding a dash of dream to real life in order to draw attention to something that’s there regardless. We’re just too busy and inattentive to see it.

Other favorite stories that use this technique include:

• Harvey – A movie starring Jimmy Stewart as a very kind man whose best friend is an invisible, six-foot  white rabbit.
• The Bishop’s Wife – A movie starring Cary Grant as an angel come to earth to help the Bishop see what’s really most important in life.
• The Wedding Dress – A book by Rachel Hauck about a dress that fits the size and style of several generations of women who need it.
• Big Fish – A book by Daniel Wallace and movie starring Ewan McGregor about a son who comes to understand his father through a series of tall tales presented as truth.

If you want to get technical, the technique is called magical realism. And some people find it hard to swallow fantasy when it’s rooted in the real world. But I’ve long thought there’s a great deal more going on than we can comprehend.

That’s the kind of story I like to see, hear, and read. And it’s the kind of story I like to write. Here’s hoping you do, too.