He Really Does....

Me at age 5. Oh who am I kidding?!

Tell me to write. He tells me all the time, day after day and sometimes I write something but more often than not, I don't. It's scary to put yourself out there. It's scary to face rejection. I wrote one essay and submitted it to about 10 different sites. Not one picked me up. I'm 60 and don't want to become famous posthumously. Hell I don't even want to be famous. I'd just like to strike a chord with someone the way other writers have with me.

There's something magical about the dance between reading and writing that captivates the heart and soul. My love affair with the written word began when I was quite young. My Dad would read a chapter to me, from different books, each night when he got home from work. My favorite was (and still is) Willy Wonka. Daddy I want an umpa lumpa! There was no stopping me once I could read and understand a book. To Kill A Mockingbird, A Tree Grows In Brooklyn, Little Women, Anne of Green Gables the list was endless. I devoured anything that I could get my hands on and would become lost in the stories. I could visualize it all, hell I could feel it! It was an oasis away from many things. I spent most summers reading as I floated around in our little pool during the day. I have a kindle now but nothing beats the feel of a book in your hands.

I passed my passion for reading onto my son. He can plow through books faster than I can these days. One of my favorite times with him was when I took him to a little quirky bookstore that I love in OBX. He was silent as he browsed the selection as was I. He picked out a few good ones. He reminded me of myself at his age. Perhaps, he too, needs to get lost for awhile. I think we all need it. They say true happiness is creating a life that you don't need to escape from. I don't care if you ride unicorns and float around the world.....everyone needs a break from the ordinary, the mundane, the responsibility....everything. A hot bath with a few chapters of my current favorite read makes me a bit more patient, a bit more relaxed, a bit more cheerful. There is nothing wrong with escaping folks. Don't let them tell you otherwise.

I hope to connect to people through the words. Be patient with me as I find my voice. I will piss you off at some point but I hope to make you smile. My husband just returned and saw me with my laptop....write Colleen. Write.