Friday, June 24, 2011

Writing to Me is...



Today's post is in conjunction with the Blog-A-Licious Blog Tour a fantastic blog hop that brings together bloggers of all genres, backgrounds and locations. In today's hop, the blog featured before Widowsphere is Big Ideas. You can find it at www.tinahoggatt.wordpress.com The blog featured after Widowsphere is the captivating www.blogaliciousblogs.blogspot.com Do stop by and say hello plus some of us are having giveaways and contests. Enjoy!

Here are my thoughts on what writing means to me:

When I was four years old, I composed a poem about a chicken, a rabbit and a pig, then announced I would be a writer when I grew up. My parents were impressed but none of us believed my prediction would come true. In my day, when you grew up, you became June Cleaver. You wore your pearls as you vacuumed the living room and made scrumptious meals for Ward and the boys. Maybe you wrote a few notes on your monogrammed stationery, but you certainly didn't have time to sit down at your typewriter and compose a story or an essay, not with all the housework, gardening, mothering, and wife-ing.

But eventually I did become a writer. Romance novels first, then essays, and now I'm shopping a memoir. I can't imagine not writing. When I wrote novels, writing allowed me to escape (I needed to, with 3 teenagers in the house) to imagine, and to think of ways to describe the sex act without using real anatomical terms.

After my husband died, writing gave me an outlet for my grief and anger, a way to fill lonely, empty hours, and a place to preserve my memories.

Now through essays, I can think through problems and issues and perhaps give them a new slant. Blogging began as a means of connecting with and supporting other widows but it's become much more: a chance to express my views on things great and small and an opportunity to meet others who love writing as much as I do.

Life without writing could never be as full as life with writing.

19 comments:

Paula Renaye said... [Reply to comment]

Hi, Thelma!

I have a friend in Austin who is passionate about helping widows too! Your story is fascinating! Back when I needed an escape from my real world, I too immersed myself in romance novels--a lot of them.

I really enjoyed your post and your site. So nice to meet you!
Paula

Muriel said... [Reply to comment]

Hi Thelma! Hello from Blog-A-Licious! Your story is inspirational. Take care.

thelmaz said... [Reply to comment]

Hi, Blog-a-licious friends, thanks for stopping by. Looking forward to reading yours.

Sonia Rumzi said... [Reply to comment]

Beautiful Thelma. You used losing a loved one for inspiration. I am honored.

sulekkha said... [Reply to comment]

Writing is what makes the world go around. I love writing and enjoy reading about why the other writers write.Great post

Duane said... [Reply to comment]

Good post. Enjoyed it.

S. Kat Harris said... [Reply to comment]

Beautiful. Thank you for sharing.

thelmaz said... [Reply to comment]

Thanks for stopping by, and I just had to mention that I opened my mail a few minutes ago to learn I'd won $100 in a poetry contest. My first poem since I was 4! I am sooo excited.

InsideJourneys said... [Reply to comment]

This is beautiful!
Women's roles have changed and thank goodness for that!
Nice to be on the tour with you,
Marcia

JANU said... [Reply to comment]

Congrats of winning the Poetry contest. Way to go. You are an inspiration for writers like me who are just discovering our potential.

Deborah Swift said... [Reply to comment]
This comment has been removed by the author.
Deborah Swift said... [Reply to comment]

Hi Thelma, Great to hear writing helps you handle the ups and downs of life. Look forward to finding out more about your romances. Must have pressed the wrong button on my previous comment - oops!

Miss Good on Paper said... [Reply to comment]

Lovely post! I had a similar writing experience when I was little. Thanks for sharing this.

I'm following now.

-Miss GOP
www.thewritingapprentice.com

Roy Durham said... [Reply to comment]

i would love to read your poem about a chicken, a rabbit and a pig. you have a great blog-a-licious blog. thank you for being on the tour. i hope to read more from you and that poem. thank you and god bless

Grace Elliot said... [Reply to comment]

I've met so many inspirational people on this blog tour. Thelma, I just want to give you a great big hug. You are amazing...an inspiration.
Grace x

Anonymous said... [Reply to comment]

It's a blessing that you did not accept limitations as to what you could do with your life. You are an inspiration! I enjoyed this stop on the blog tour!

thelmaz said... [Reply to comment]

Thanks, all of you, for visiting. Okay, Roy, here's my "poem"--not the one that won the contest--the one I wrote at four years old:
Happy as a chicken,
Happy as a pig,
Happy as a rabbit
That danced a little jig.

Can't you tell from reading it that I was destined to write the Great American Novel?

Unknown said... [Reply to comment]

Fascinating and inspiring post. Thank you for joining the blog tour.
Best wishes - Dora
http://pandorapoikilos.com

Corinne Rodrigues said... [Reply to comment]

How wonderful that you knew you'd be a writer at age 4 and then to have your dream come true - that's powerful stuff. I'm glad you decided to channel your grief in to your writing - now I'm sure you find meaning in it, just for itself!

 

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