Thursday, November 10, 2011

My not-so-secret-anymore passion

We’re one-third of the way through NaBloPoMo already!  Yay, fellow bloggers! Way to go!

Today’s prompt asks, “What is your secret (or not-so-secret) passion?”

One of my life-long passions has been secret to other people, I suppose, because until the past few years, not many knew that I’ve always wanted to be a writer.

I’m a person of simple tastes, and I’m really not that interested in a lot of things that our culture deems necessary or entertaining. 

I do have lots of interests, though, most of them pertaining to what I would call my top five passions: my faith in God, my family, nature, food and…writing.  Those things pretty much make up my life. 

I don’t care about owning a lot of things.  I’m not very fashion conscious, and the thoughts of more than two or three shopping trips a year pretty much makes me cringe.  I mean, I go to the grocery more often than that, but I don’t shop for the fun of it. 

I don’t really care what kind of car I drive, as long as it gets me where I’m going.  I don’t like shiny new matched furniture sets.   I like scaly paint and rust on stuff. 

Yeah, I know I’m pretty weird. 

I would say I’m pretty much equally passionate about all of my passions, although my writing has been the slowest to become visible. 

I’ve always been a reader.  Many times when I’d finish reading something, I’d think, I wish I could write something like that.  I wish I could touch people’s hearts and change their minds.  I wish I could tell entertaining stories. 

I used to think I’d like to go to college and major in English. That sounds like a pretty worthless thing to do if you don’t intend to teach—unless you want to be a better writer. 

Which I did.

So, off I went to college at the age of forty-something.  My last semester, our two daughters and I were all college students at the same time. 

Yeah, I know that’s pretty weird. 

But secret passions often lead us to do weird stuff. 

And I’m glad I did it. I’m surer than ever that I’m a writer. That’s want I want to be, and that’s who I am. 

Some folks feel the need to make music, some to paint or photograph images. I feel the need to write.   

Many don’t understand this about me.  To some it must seem like a waste of time to sit around and think on paper. 

Why don’t you quit your dreaming and get a real job?  I imagine that’s what people must think. 

Maybe folks don’t ever think that.  I’ll bet most simply don’t give a hoot, but I’ll have to admit I ask myself that question pretty often.  Then I go write.

I write in my journal, and I write newspaper features and columns, and I post blogs daily during National Blog Posting Month, which I share with my friends on facebook.  Sometimes I’ll attempt a poem or a short story. 

Every now and then, people take pity on me and read my stuff. 

Whether or not I have an audience, I’ve got to be a writer, though.  I feel like I haven’t really lived life until I’ve processed it on paper. 

That’s just me. 

Maybe that’s pretty weird, but that’s my secret passion. 

6 comments:

  1. Lisa,
    I guess that the simple things in life, is what makes me tick too. I know this is why your girls are so genuine, and down to Earth. My Machaela has the dream that you have too. I'm am hoping she can reach her graduation soon, and write like you.

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  2. I hope your Machaela succeeds beyond your (and her) wildest dreams!

    Thanks for reading!

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  3. I'm right there with you, Lisa! I read all the time, and I write whenever I can. I've had periods when I've stopped, due to laziness, or lack of inspiration, or too much turmoil in my life. At those times I refrain from writing because I really don't want to let any of my pain peek through. But the minute that was over... here I was, writing again.

    You're not weird, and you're definitely not alone. :)

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  4. I'm glad I'm not the only one! :) Thanks for reading!

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  5. There is nothing weird in following your heart and dreams! It is a shame more people don't give it a try!!

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  6. You are right, Lucy! Thanks for reading!

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