Category: BPCreates

Three years ago I was part of a fantastic group of writers. We shared our thoughts on life over at Bigger Picture Blogs. The Blog is long gone, but the premise behind it still remains. One our collaborative writing projects was based on a meme called Where I’m From. 

So, for those of you who are new-ish to my blog, here’s a glimpse of me.

 

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I am from river cities and small towns with corn fields as far as the eye can see.

 

From Chewy Chips Ahoy cookies with a tall glass of cold milk and Happy Joe’s taco pizza with Whitey’s ice cream for dessert. From plastic horses that galloped like wind and from Barbies with pink sports cars and stacks of Golden books.

 

From duplexes, apartments, fixer uppers and zero lots with old friends for neighbors.

 

I am from the sweet smell of lilacs in the springtime and the smiling faces of pansies blooming in the summer sun. From lilly pads in garden ponds brimming with shimmering goldfish.

 

From strong stubborn Germans and blond haired, blue eyed Swedes. From a single dad and a remarried mother. From step families knitted together by love and circumstance.

 

I am from Fate and faith and the belief in things bigger than myself.

 

I’m from mega shopping trips with my grandmother and learning everything I know about gardening from her. From singing to the Grease soundtrack into my hairbrush and creating dance routines to TV commercials.

 

I’m from salisbury steak TV dinners with my dad while watching The A-Team and Magnum PI, and from daddy daughter nights at girl scouts.

 

From knee boarding on the Mississippi behind my stepdad’s fishing boat and baiting hooks to fish for blue gill.

 

From being called an over emotional spaz, geek and overall nerd. From finding myself in my twenties and rising above all labels. From being unique and an individual. I’m from overcoming negative thoughts and worries. From surviving abuse and eating disorders and finally being comfortable in my own skin.

 

I am from dreams and passions yet to be discovered. From traveling the journey of life and anticipating the excitement it will bring.

My office door was shut, I had to do it. I needed to shut out the world so I could write this piece needed to be perfect.

Perfect for her. “It needs to be stellar,” she would repeat over and over and over again.

I found no mistakes, no typos, no fragmented sentences and my peers had checked my work, but it wasn’t enough.

It never was.

With each project, I was fearful, scared of what she would say. How many red marks there would be?

I hated that red pen and wanted to rip it from her skinny fingers.

She used it like a weapon, to wound my creative spirit.

With each swish of the pen, my confidence fell.

I knew I was right. I knew I could write.

But to her I couldn’t.

So I quit.

And on one cold December day I stared at the computer and started over.

The words were hard to come by, but slowly they came.

My voice was loud and clear, and the red marks were nowhere to be seen.

I feel justified.

I found the courage to overcome her tyranny over my creative soul.

I persevered.

And here I am writing without boundaries and with courage in my heart.

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Each Monday we spur our creative spirit.
Head over to Bigger Picture Blogs Facebook page
for today’s CREATIVE INSPIRATION.

The snow fell softly as I gazed out the window. My computer screen was aglow in the dim light. I tentatively touched the keyboard, and began typing. Slowly at first, but as the words began to flow my pace quickened.

Clickity, clack. Clickity, clack.

My finger poised and ready to hit the publish button.

CLICK.

Zoom!

My words flew into cyberspace for all the world to see, ex-boyfriends, frenemies, neighbors, family, collegues and strangers.

I waited for a reaction.

Nothing.

Then like a tsunami the comments poured into my soul.

“Thank you,” she said. “For writing this.”

“Oh, you are so funny,” she said.

“You’re not alone,” she said.

My heart filled with gratitude.

As my heart grew so did my connections to the online personas.

They became more than a screen name.

We met in real life and acted like crazy teenagers.

We shared a piece of chocolate cake and talked about raising boys.

We exchanged Christmas cards.

We bonded at conferences.

We became friends.

A community.

____________________________

Each Monday, on Bigger Picture Blogs I talk about creativity and post a prompt on their Facebook page.
It’s our way of beating the Monday blahs and find inspiration in the little things. #BPCREATES

Feeling inspired? Join us! 

Share your inspiration on Bigger Picture Blogs Facebook.