MY NEW NICHE

MY NEW NICHE I always wanted to do something in life that was helpful, meaningful and rewarding for others as well as for myself. I had big ideas and big dreams. I always pictured myself as some sort of business tycoon or legislator. Whatever I was going to be, I wanted to make a major difference in the lives of ordinary men, women and children. I was young back then, and falling in love, dropping out of college, marrying and starting a family at a young age, changed and repressed my desire to be a noted, valuable, helping, contributor to society. I instead became a United Auto Worker, working in an assembly plant making cars, vans and trucks. It sure was not what I wanted or planned, but I ended up enjoying the work and the pay and benefits were excellent and much needed. In my twenty-seventh year working for this auto corporation, I was diagnosed with breast cancer and had to take an early retirement. Thankful that I regained my health, but unable to resume the only kind of work I knew how to do, I found myself bored and depressed. Inexperienced and uninterested in anything else, I laid around disheveled with my hair pointing to the four corners of the earth, watching T.V, and sleeping all day. One evening, my daughter suggested that I invest in a computer, for what I asked, I don’t even know how to turn one on. With that pleading look and sound of hers, she said, “Mom, it will open up a whole new world for you, please give it some thought.” To satisfy her, I eventually did as she asked, and then took some basic computer classes, and found that my daughter was right. I starting pecking away, typing out my thoughts and experiences; thus began my journey into the world of writing. It has proved to be cleansing, healing, challenging, exciting, time-consuming, and an awesome blessing. As a writer, (I just love the way that sounds!) I have taken the reader on my roller coaster of life, slowly taking them up to the highest heights, and down into the deepest depths, turning and tossing them around the sharp, unexpected curves of rape, divorce, breast cancer, relocation, salvation, a lost love, deliverance, the joys of motherhood, the agony of losing a loved one, and finally finding my soul mate, peace, and my niche in life. Through my stories, I have confessed my faults, shared my joys, pains and secrets, along with expressing love and gratitude. There was a time when I would ask, “Why me Lord?” Now, I say thank you Lord for giving me the next paragraph, chapter or story. At some point and time, we all get lemons thrown our way, and through faith, prayer and patience, we can make some of the sweetest lemonade ever, very good for writing non-fiction stories. Inexperienced as a writer and having no formal education in journalism, my writings are always upfront, honest, and from personal experiences. My journal is embedded in the files of my heart, mind and soul, and when I want to write about something, I excavate from within. I do not write for a living, although I would love to, and I have not been paid for any of my stories. Sure, the financial part of it would be nice, but just knowing that I won a writing contest or had an article published is my reward, because then I know that I have taken the readers to that special place and touched their hearts. By reading this story, you now know that I never became a business tycoon, or a legislator, however, I feel that my big hopes and dreams have come full circle. I feel that I am doing what I have always wanted to do, but in a different way. Through writing, I am doing something helpful, meaningful and rewarding for others as well as for myself. Now that I am older, more mature, a little wiser, have worked hard, made an honest living, and have an associate degree in life, I know that I have contributed to society. I am pleased to be able to share my life, times, and experiences, hoping that they have somehow strengthened, offered enjoyment and let that ordinary man, woman or child know that they are not alone in whatever they may be going through. Writing about my experiences, and how I have been blessed has been very influential in my healing process, physically, spiritually, mentally and emotionally, and it has brought me unspeakable joy. My daughter was so right, my computer did open up a whole new world for me, and through it, I have entered into a new season of my life. So much has happened and there is so much to write about, that there isn’t enough hours in the day for my new found passion. I would not be able to devote the time and attention it requires if I were not retired. I don’t know if it is an undeveloped talent, gift, or just something that I like and enjoy doing, but whatever it is, writing fits very comfortably in my life right now, and it is something that I plan to perfect, and maybe one of these days, I will become an esteemed author, and a noted contributor to society. By, Blessdgma