Dont Cry if You Dont Try by Mark Goodwin SMASHWORDS EDITION ***** PUBLISHED BY Mark Goodwin on Smashwords Copyright

2011 by Mark Goodwin ISBN This ebook is a work of non-fiction. Smashwords Edition License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the author's work. Cover design by Jane Sladen Special Thanks to Jane Sladen (My Partner) who assisted me and proofread this story and Thanks to All My Friends Both in Real Life and on the Internet Who Encouraged Me To Follow My Dreams

Dont Cry if You Dont Try Despite its title this story is not out to chastise you. On the contrary. It is written to encourage you to follow your dreams and become the individual you were meant to be. Everyone of us has dreams. Perhaps it is a dream to get married and have a family. Maybe its a dream to travel to exotic places. Maybe your dream is to be a famous actor. Having dreams are important but there is something even more important, and that is attempting to make your dreams come true. Yes, you do have a purpose in life. Often that purpose is not understood by many. Why? Because we do not listen to our inner voice. That voice tries to guide us to our destinies. It hopes to lead us to happiness. Before we were born I believe seeds were planted in everyone one of us and they cry out to be watered so that they can grow. When they grow, our inner spirit becomes happier. The unfulfilled dreams in your life represent the need to nuture your inner spirit so that you can become the person you yearn to be. If you dont water those seeds, the seeds will die and your inner spirit will be unable to find the happiness and peace it seeks. I have had many dreams in my life. Some have been fulfilled because the seeds have been watered. One of those seeds was to travel to other parts of the world and to experience other people and cultures. After visiting more than 12 different countries, I can now say that this seed has been sufficiently watered and I have accomplished that dream. It is true that I would like to travel some more and I hope to do so. Even if I dont, I am happy. My inner spirit is more at peace with itself. These days, after recently passing my sixtieth birthday, I reflect upon my life - where I have been - where I am going. I am essentially a happy person. However, there are still seeds within me that need to be watered. There are dreams I still have but have never tried to achieve. There are others that I am in the process of trying to fulfill.

One of those dreams is to write articles - some of a serious nature, others not so. The Internet has given me the opportunity to follow that dream and it is now up to me to try. I began writing quizzes on Squidoo using the name Zut Moon and stealing ALFs image as my avatar. Along with the quizzes. I wrote funny stories, often to the chagrin of my American friends. I wrote some serious articles there as well. Just the writing of them was enough to start that seed growing. I became known somewhat throughout the Squidoo community and received some nice comments from people who read the articles. I then discovered Smashwords. I saw many people writing novels and short stories. They appeared to be following their dreams as well. I figured if they could write on Smashwords, why couldnt I? I have never had visions of being a John Grisham or a Dean Koontz but maybe, just maybe, I could be some kind of author even if it is only in a small way. So I have begun to follow my dream. I am trying to see if I can write something with enough substance to be interesting to somebody other than myself. I currently have four short stories on Smashwords and judging by the stats that they send me, I am succeeding to some extent. I have received many thumbs up that have been posted to Facebook. Smashwords statistics show me that people are downloading my stories. I have given many copies away free but have been able to sell some of them for real cash. None of the figures are staggering but they are sufficient to encourage me to keep watering that seed. Life can end at any moment and the time to fulfill your dream is today. Tomorrow may not come. Time continues to move forward whether you do or not. This article that you are reading right now is another attempt by me to follow two of my dreams. To become better known in the writing community and to help others. I will also be publishing another story soon which is called The Diary of Moses Jenkins. I am very pleased with how it is turning out. When I started to write it, I had no idea where it was going. That is usually the case with most things I write. The end often surprises me and it did in this case. What I am trying to say to you, my reader is, Now is the time to stop dreaming! It is time to turn your dreams into realities. It is time to water those seeds and allow them to grow. Your inner spirit will not be truly happy

until you do. As soon as you finish reading this article, and without further delay, start trying to fulfill your dreams. I honestly hope that this will help you is some small way to become the person you were meant to be. I know the writing of it has helped me. Best Wishes, Mark Goodwin (a.k.a. Zut Moon, a.k.a. Moonfish) September, 2011