How Do You Spell R E L I E F ?
Felt good enough to clean the house today … not the big house, of course … the one on wheels in the back yard. The kitchen is small, the bathroom is small, the bedroom is small, the front room is small … and I like that in a cleaning project.
All hasn’t been bad with not feeling good this week. I’ve had time to put some thought into some of my writing projects. It’s good now and then to have a little time for thought, don’t you think? My therapist comes in the form of a laptop. It sounds therapeutic to me to get into a fictional realm again … make up a little world and create the people who dwell therein. Messing around with words and sentences and creating a meaningful “something” is how I spell R E L I E F, if it can be on my own time frame.
I first fell under the spell of writing in the 2nd grade when I wrote a poem about tulips in the spring and my teacher, Miss Webb, told me it was one of the best poems she’d ever read. I seriously doubt now that it was one of the best pieces of poetry she had ever read, but she was beautiful and young and I adored her and it means a lot to me, still, that she took me aside to build a little girl’s confidence. Two years later I wrote a longer poem for an essay writing contest (maybe I would have won if I’d actually followed the rules and written an essay instead of a ballad) that involved our entire elementary school and the Draper City Fire Department. As it was, I won Honorable Mention, became a Junior Fire Marshall, received a red plastic fire marshal hat and an ovation by the Draper Park student body at an assembly. It’s hard to know which drew me in at that age; the writing or the praise, but I have been at it ever since in one form or another. I think my biggest fan, unfortunately, is myself, which must be enough.
I used to think I was fairly unique in my love of words and writing until I woke up one day to blogging and over and over and over again I came across talented writers with creative ideas and unique ways of presenting them. I think it’s one of the great perks of Internet that we can come together like this, learning from each other, cheering and encouraging each other to continue, and having an audience for our own efforts. Thanks to each of you who read my blog, and especially to those who take the time to comment, because it absolutely makes my day to have the reinforcement it affords! And thanks for reciprocating by sharing your talents with me! It’s my therapy … and I get it all for free … no appointment necessary!
I absolutely love reading your blog, it keeps me smiling the way you put things. It’s been too long since I’ve seen you. (Or much of any of the others in the family, really.) Hope all is well! Love ya!
I think it’s great that you identified a talent that you can enjoy early on!
I still remember the joy I felt at the age of six or seven when it dawned on me that someone had to be writing the books I loved to read, and I could be one of those people! That dream died hard. I’ve written newspaper columns, poetry, and tons of letters of recommendation–because I ultimately ended up being a teacher instead of a novelist. But still, I have always written something. And I am happy that the Internet has given us a way to have an audience, however small, for our writing. I was never one of those people who was happy to keep a journal and have zero readers. To me, a piece of writing that isn’t read is like that fake food that never gets eaten. It may look good, but it’s just not fulfilling its purpose.
How well put, Susan! I couldn’t agree more! I do keep a side journal sporadically and think to myself some day it may be read by a grandchild or great grandchild … but my blog is far more interesting I think because I know there are readers.