It's interesting when we compare fiction to nonfiction. With fiction as a writer we many times will infuse a part of who we are into our stories, but the story itself is fiction. It comes from the recesses of our mind as we write down the story. Nonfiction, however, is based on real life stuff. Take this quote: "The writer of memoir makes a pact with her reader that what she writes is the truth as best she can tell it. But the original pact, the real deal, is with herself. Be honest, dig … [Read more...]
Archives for 2013
Q is for quest
Because in Mari's world I bet she was always on a quest to find some new adventure that lead her to Giggle Town. I laugh when I think of that line above. Mari always loved to retreat into her world. Sometimes I wish there could have been a way for me to go with her to see for myself what made her so happy as she visited her own Giggle Town. It was rare to see Mari sad. She could entertain herself for hours. Turn on a Backyardigans or Dora or Wonder Pets video and she was just happy. She … [Read more...]
Day 73: Starting Again and Again
I think we all have our times when we start something only to stop, then we come back and start again going through the cycle over and over. Whether it's a job where we start each day anew and by the time we are getting off we have our ending each day as well. Or if we start some new craft project like crocheting a blanket. Some people don't get easily bored. But if you're anything like me I can only go so long before I get bored with what I'm doing and I stop for a while only to start again … [Read more...]
P is for patient
Because Mari taught me how to be patient. I always tell people that God has given some people the gift of patience, but I'm not one of them. Since I can remember I've struggled with being patient. I guess using the cliché, "She has a short fuse," can be pretty accurate most of the time. The thing is having a daughter with autism doesn't exactly mesh with someone who doesn't have patience. So who do you think is going to have to change? The person with autism whom you can't communicate with … [Read more...]
Day 72: Writer’s Remorse
To write truthfully sometimes we have to write things we may not want others to know but are important to be true to who we are as a writer. When I think about this it kind nails me to the wall. My past isn't pretty. And it's not from anything bad I've done personally, but instead what has been done to me as a child. I think of my mom and every thing she went through as a child. My Granny and Grandpa partly raised me as a child. However, how they were with me was completely different than … [Read more...]
O is for open, as Mari was always open to try new things.
I have to laugh. Mari would be the one where nothing would stop her from trying something new. However, most of us would think twice before doing so. Even then it could take us several more times and then we don't go through with it. There could be several reasons why. The bottom line is we stop to think about it. This is where Mari was on the more unique side because that's just it - she didn't think. She just did. Now I'm not saying this was always the smartest choice (hence dancing on the … [Read more...]
Day 71: Being Your Own Shrink
I have to share this quote with you. "You have to have done that hard psychological work before you sit down to write." —MARY KARR This is one of those 'awe-ha' moments. Ever since I can remember I had never understood why God would allow, in His loving giving Self, the terrible abuses and neglect that happened to me throughout my childhood. As I entered high school, my sophomore year we attended a church a couple of times. It wasn't till the following summer I was able to get a ride to … [Read more...]
N is for night
As Mari could play through the night (if we allowed her :) ) . Nighttime. Mari is the complete night-owl. It didn't matter what time we put her to bed. She never went to sleep right away. We kind of had a nightly ritual that we followed with her. First we would sing the made up song her teacher in DeKalb taught us. It went like this: "Toys away. Toys away. It's time to put our toys away." We would repeat that several times until everything was cleaned up. Then it was time to get her … [Read more...]
M is for Mari’s world
As Mari always had an infectious laugh when she visited Mari's world. I was talking to a friend this morning about Mari's world. When she would escape to go there you could tell because she would get this far off look. What I told my friend is maybe Mari's special world was heaven. Maybe in her world she got to talk to Jesus. She could walk around there without autism. A world where she was perfect. Wouldn't that be kewl. I smile just thinking about it. … [Read more...]
Day 70: The Right Age to Write
Do you ever wonder sometimes if you are too old to write? I know several people involved with ACFW that they knew since a very young age that they either wanted to write or that they were meant to write. To put it bluntly: It was the last thing I ever wanted to do. I struggled all through elementary school to the point I was held back in second grade. My grades always consisted of getting C's and H's. You might be asking what in the world is an H letter grade? It simple. It means Having … [Read more...]
