Wanted this to be read at the conference....
But it didn't happen so I thought I would share it here:
MWSA Conference 2014…Greetings to all of you that are here tonight…I had planned all year to be right there with you. It would have been my fifth conference in a row. That all changed on August 5th when my husband, Wayne, suffered a stroke. I won’t go into just how my world has changed…you can follow our story on our Caring Bridge site. This weekend has been tough for me, as my heart is in Phoenix. I am missing being with my friends…those of you I only see once each year, but we pick up as if no time has passed.
I want to thank those of you who have reached out and contacted me from the conference…you helped me feel that camaraderie from afar! For those of you in this room tonight…you are among a special group of people. I have many dear friends here…just know I am with you in spirit. Wayne says I will be there in 2015...and I hope that will be the case.
I review books and I help to copy edit the anthology for MWSA... among other things. I have many clients who have become great friends who are a part of this organization. I have always seen myself as the person to help authors get their books to as near perfection as possible… but never have seen myself as a writer. Several MWSA gentlemen have encouraged me to be a writer...that is a long, long story... but I'll share my simple little poem I wrote after my first MWSA conference on the flight home... Just an FYI....I have a children's book....fiction and nonfiction combined based on my love for hawks and other birds that has been a long-time goal to accomplish (but I seem to keep busy helping other people get their books accomplished). It appears that God may have had a different topic for me to write about now. Anyway...here’s the poem:
Writer Within
They say it’s within me. But where?
They say to spill it all out. But how?
They say I’ve got stories to tell. But what?
They say to get started. But when?
They say people want to hear. But who?
They say it’s important. But why?
They say it’s within me. But where? Deep within my soul.
They say to spill it all out. But how? One word at a time.
They say I’ve got stories to tell. But what? Life’s manyexperiences and memories.
They say to get started. But when? Upon waking to each new day.
They say people want to hear. But who? Those who love me and beyond.
They say it’s important. But why? To prove to myself there’s a writer within.
This poem is dedicated to three friends from Military Writers Society of America. These three heroes and poets have encouraged me to find the writer within. This was my first attempt to join the world of poetry. I’m sure it is way too structured for them, but what can I say? It’s from my heart. Thank you goes to James Jellerson, Mike Mullins, and jim greenwald. These three are very special guys who give so much to others. I want to thank them again for all they do and the love that they spread. They all are amazing. I’m thinking jim is the only one of them present…so, jim, it is up to you to spread my thanks again.
So…I have become a writer…I am journaling the story of how a stroke has affected our lives. I do have a story to tell now. The research will come to get the story out to the world about the factual aspects of stroke and they say to write about what you know…and every day I am challenged with learning more and more about how lives are changed. So I will be writing to educate and I am currently writing to heal…
Thank you for your friendships…and keep on writing those stories…you never know whose lives you will touch. My heart has been touched by dozens of MWSA writers. God bless you all.