Once Upon a Time. . .

“It takes a lot of courage to show your dreams to someone else.”-Erma Bombeck.  Thank you to Neil, Greg, and Hill for letting me tell you my dreams and for providing the support and feedback to help me give life to them and to my pen pal who helped me believe that I do have something to say.

Truer words have never been written or spoken than the above quote, and leave it to a fellow University of Dayton alum to have conjured up these words that resonate with me more than ever as I venture into the world of blogging.  I have been writing in one form or another since I was a little girl, because despite being “the mouth of the south”, I still find it easier to write about some of my thoughts and feelings rather than talking about them.  Perhaps, this is because there is no delete button for the spoken word, and I can hide behind a computer screen and control what I write without any interference.  That said, sharing my thoughts, feelings, and experiences with people I know and with complete strangers in a blog format is definitely not easy and rather scary actually. 

So, why bother doing a blog?  Well, for years, I have entertained, educated, and encouraged others with my stories that run the gamut from medical concerns (cervical cancer, infertility, and ulcerative colitis)  to mental health challenges (depression and anxiety) to life changing events (career changes, recent divorce, being a single mom, vicious rumors, betrayal, new relationships, etc.), and in return, I have connected with people from all walks of life and learned so much about myself, others, and the world in general. I have shared my stories with candor, humor, and honesty, and during this past year, I have heard repeatedly that I should either have my own reality tv show or write a book.  Since Bravo TV still has not added me to their reality show stable, and since I barely have time to read a book, much less write one, I decided to start blogging to see where it leads me and who comes along for the ride.  If you were one of the people who said I should be a reality tv star or an author, but you were just saying that to make conversation or to be polite, this will teach you not to say things that you don’t mean, as I may run with it, like I did with this blog.  I don’t have a grand plan for what stories I will share or any particular order that I will share them, as I tend to write from my heart, which is something that I cannot dictate or predict necessarily.  So, you’ll have to stay tuned to see how the story begins and unfolds and where it ends.

On a final note, my very wise “big brother” Neil said that I need to have credibility when writing this blog, and I agree, but am not sure how to establish this credibility, as trust and respect have to be earned in due time.  I will offer some “credentials” for your consideration at this point, though, because I believe in “truth in advertising”, so to speak.  With me, what you see or read is what you get.  Professionally, I have a master’s degree in social work and am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor, and I have been in the social work field for 21 years.  I currently work at a local men’s homeless shelter. I never imagined working there, but now, I cannot imagine not being anywhere else, as it has provided a”home” to the men who walk through the doors and to me.  Personally, I am a divorced woman who seriously has the best ex-husband on the planet, the mom to two miraculous little girls, a loyal friend, a quirky southern girl with Polish ancestry, the daughter of yankee parents, the tagalong youngest sister, a political moderate, a trail runner, and so much more.  I am definitely ordinary, but throughout my life, I really have had some extraordinary experiences with some even more extraordinary people.  I am so fortunate to have an amazing cast of characters to call my family and friends and who are the true stars of my little dog and pony show, and I love each of them dearly for what they bring to my life and what they let me bring to theirs. 

So, here’s where this post ends, but I will be back soon with stories to tell. . .

 

 

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A picture is worth a thousand words . . . ›

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Categories: That's Another Story

Tags: anxiety, blog, depression, life changes, stories