I’m a big fan of c-words.
Curiosity. Creativity. Community. Connection.
I’ve been familiar with the first two for quite some time.
As a kid, I enjoyed writing short stories and poems and loved to doodle on small, scrap pieces of paper. By the time I was nine years old, my creative urges expanded to the kitchen and I made my mother’s goulash recipe on a regular basis. At ten, I crocheted a large, round tablecloth that ended up almost as big as I was.
I’d often use my poetry as a form of expression and would lovingly display my heartwarming words in handmade cards for my parents.
First, I’d create a crayon masterpiece on the cover. Then, with an HB pencil and a wooden ruler, I’d draw several short lines, one on top of the other, on the inside.
You are my Dad, I am your daughter. I love you more than a swim in the water.
I love you, Mom, I want you to know that. I know you are something than just an old doormat.
As I got older, I started writing song lyrics, hoping music would one day bring them to life. As luck would have it, that day came, and suddenly they were actual songs with a beginning, a middle and an end. Eventually they were recorded in various stages of completion. It was exhilarating.
Then the creating stopped. Life happened. Years passed. Thankfully, I eventually found my way back to the curiosity and creativity that had always been such a big part of my life. I now write for Life as a Human, a wonderful online human-interest magazine. I enjoy creating in the kitchen everyday, and owe it to the goulash for my unending enthusiasm. The crocheting, however, has fallen by the wayside…at least for now! Handmade cards are still a big thing with me but, not wanting to compete with the stellar works of my youth, I’m now leaving them blank on the inside. I also volunteer for the Victoria Women’s Transition House, an amazing organization that captured my heart many years ago.
These days, you’ll find me living a writer’s life, making final edits on my first book – a memoir, No One in Their Right Mind, to be published in the not-too-distant future. And there’s always a random project on the go that includes, at the very least, a glue stick and some paint. My family, friends, yoga, nature and my acoustic guitar are an important part of an ever-growing gratitude list.
This is me. And this space? It’s about creation – a place where ideas are brought into existence. It’s about the things that bring me joy. It’s still finding its footing, but the journey has begun!
You don’t have to be a fan of c-words to be here, but it certainly doesn’t hurt. Maybe, at the very least, you’re a fan of self-discovery. Maybe you’ve concluded, like I have, that an important, juicy part of the journey is sharing and celebrating what you’ve learned with others.
It’s there that I found the last two c-words.
Take Good care 🙂
