The Charmed One
stumbled upon a local writing competition here in Podunk. Unfortunately we
found it late. Like three days until deadline late. And it so happened to be
the weekend my niece came over. Naturally I wanted to spend every minute doing
things with her and not writing. Even after we dropped her back off I found it
hard to concentrate on a writing competition because I was tired, and I had a
blog to write!
Fortunately it was
another short story competition. The story was to be around 750 words. (Yes it had the squiggly sign in front of the 750.) That was less than
the last one, which was 900 words, so the Charmed One thought I could take that
story and shorten it. Silly, silly Charmed. Is one really able to tell a story
in that few words? I had a hard enough time cutting twenty words out of the 900
word short, there was no way I could cut more than that and have it make much sense.
So Monday morning I got up and started plugging away at the short story. It had
to be postmarked that day so I didn’t have much time. I did my best putting a
story together in my head, then onto the computer. When I was finished I only
had to narrow it down by about 15 words. Afterwards, because the deadline
loomed, I sent it to the Charmed One to read over. Normally I send my stuff to
a couple of friends, but this time I didn’t have time.
Although I felt okay
about what I wrote, I still wasn’t the happiest about it. That is until I
walked into the Charmed One’s office. I noticed the story I wrote there on the
computer. My nerves tingled a little in anticipation. Those nerves disappeared
when I saw tears in the Charmed One’s eyes. I didn’t think it was a sad
story. It had sad undertones, but the outcome was a happy one.
The Charmed One
asked, “Why do you write sad stories?”
I stood dumbfounded.
I didn’t expect that story to bring on that type of reaction, but when it did I
felt different myself. I started thinking maybe it was a good story. I felt
some small form of redemption as a writer knowing that it created an emotion
like that in a not-so-emotional person.
I am reminded of
when I was in college. In a mandatory English class everyone had to take
a state test. If you failed the test you failed the class. The test was nothing
more than writing three paragraphs. My English teacher took two weeks worth of class
to prepare us for it. Other people in class would critique our writings and I
never got really great critiques. Then it came time for the test. I walked in,
received instructions, and picked a seat. I chose one facing windows, a Zen
thing. I knew I did well, but I was not prepared for the actual results. A
couple of weeks after the test I received an email from my English teacher. In
it she explained that I had achieved a perfect score on the test. The next time
the class met she told the class of my accomplishment. Inside I felt that my
smile ran from ear to ear.
After seeing the
expression on the Charmed One’s face, and thinking about that test in college,
I know that even though at times I doubt myself there is something there. I
feel better in myself even if I did make someone cry! Even if I don't win that competition I won something more. Belief in myself.
*For the record not
all of my writing is sad. The Charmed One and I even laughed because I am
generally a joking type of person.
Do you
live in a big or small city/town? What have you accomplished that brings a
smile to your face? Do you ever doubt your talents?
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