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Monday, September 12, 2011

10 Years

"Nostalgia, the vice of the aged." Angela Carter

This past weekend seemed custom-made for nostalgia. My husband and I celebrated our 20 year dating anniversary (because we're nerds - I think I mentioned this before?). It was the somber, soul-wrenching 10th anniversary of 9-11. And mom is staying with me - stunning me with non sequiters like "What ever happened to Trista?" a girl I last saw in fifth grade.

So, I've done a lot of thinking about the past in the last couple of days. Some of it good, some of it bad and some of it cringe-inducing. On balance, because I'm an insufferably positive person, I think I've done OK. I work hard at my marriage because it's worth more than rubies, and I love my kids as hard and well as I can.

But I'm proudest of becoming a writer. It's the one thing I've done completely by myself. It's practically magic, the way I 'forged in the smithy of my soul' (sorry, James) a new identity. I know, I'm patting myself on the back for something that countless others (and all of you) have done already. But for years I didn't think I'd have the courage to do it. For years I let myself believe that I couldn't, shouldn't. And then, two years ago, I stopped standing on my own way.

What are you proudest of doing in the last 10 years?

4 comments:

  1. You should be proud! Congratulations.

    I'm proudest of writing the novel of my heart, then winning an SCBWI grant for that same novel. Shocked me. In a good way.

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  2. I completely agree with Angela... you should be very proud! :)

    It's so odd, I've been feeling very nostalgic over the last little while too... in fact, my post yesterday was somewhat around the same lines!

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  3. That is something to be very proud of. You faced your fears and negative thoughts and started anyway.

    I did the same when I decided to finish studying, but that I would completely change the direction of my life. That's what I'm most proud of.

    :-)

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  4. Marrying you. (I know, I know, but maths never my strong suit...) Tx

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