Hollywood can be heartless, so it's good to be reminded that some of the people working there do indeed have hearts bigger than their egos.
I enjoyed the films of John Hughes, but I was never a major fan - a little too old for his core demographic, I guess. So while I was saddened by his tragically early death, it didn't hit me that hard.
What did hit me hard was this beautiful blog post, written by a young woman he had corresponded with:
John Hughes and a Fan
Because of my position as a writer for kids and young adults, I get a lot of fan mail. It can be hard to keep up with it. To be honest, I sometimes have to remind myself that it is a blessing, not a curse. But as this post shows, answering can make a difference.
This was a great reminder of that fact.
As a bonus, we discover why Hughes left his soaring career in Hollywood - a choice that speaks as well of him as any of his films.