Florence author creates children’s book about believing in yourself

FLORENCE, S.C. (WBTW) — A self-published Florence author has created a children’s book about the power of believing in yourself. The book is entitled “Al the Acorn: I Am a Mighty Oak.”

Antwain Lyde, the author of the book, said he came up with the story idea during meditation.

Meditation is not unusual for Lyde because he said he meditates routinely, but this meditation session was different.

This time, Lyde said he was gifted with something, and it wasn’t a material item; it was a gift to pass to others. A gift that Lyde turned into a book about believing in yourself to tap into your fullest potential.

Lyde is a Florence native, and he said the book is needed for the community and hopes to touch his hometown and the world.

The book talks about an acorn’s journey to becoming an oak tree. The acorn is separated from his family’s tree and has to believe in himself to become an oak tree.

The book is metaphorical and spreads the message of large potential being stored in small things. It is also a story of patience and perseverance. Throughout the story, the acorn has to repeatedly tell himself that he would become the oak tree if he believed and eventually, he did.

“An acorn can be one centimeter tall and one centimeter wide,” Lyde said. “And when it is planted into the earth it can become 144-feet-tall and 64-feet-wide all from an acorn and we pack more potential within ourselves then an acorn packs.”

“My message is to get others to believe,” Lyde continued. “Believe that you are able. Believe that you’re capable of the things you think about. Believe that you can do it. We have these big ideas, but we need to know that it is possible.”

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Taylor Ford is a digital journalist for News13 . She joined the News13 team in January 2023. Taylor is a Florence native and covers the Pee Dee out of News13’s Florence Bureau. Read more of Taylor’s work here .

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