Humbled by Words

This morning started off rocky for me as most Monday’s do. I dragged, staggered around, and somehow managed to get my four year old together to make it out the door on time. Once the house was silent I patiently waited for my pc to boot up in order to check my email. The usual, spam, horoscope and oh what is that a message from the Passionate Writer Publishing editing department. Instantly I was in turmoil. What if the critique tells me to rewrite half my book, what if the editor misunderstood what I was try to convey with my story, what if…oh skip it I clicked on the message to open it and silence the uncertainty. What I read humbled me. I saw the words powerful, wonderful, touching, important book in the notes section. I had to reread the file name to make sure it was actually meant for me.

As a writer we all want our work to be accepted but never in a million dreams did I dare to think that I could move anyone. Write a story that one can enjoy, yes, but this…this was more than I can take. My sole purpose of writing my story was to help others and now I know it is possible. I thank my editor for showing me that I could. 

Here is a snippet of Rise and Fall of a Track Star.

“What the heck is wrong with you? She is a freshman and you’re a senior. A state champion senior.”

All I could do was shrug my shoulders. I was trying to catch my breath and he was stealing all my air. He couldn’t care less.

“Act like the star you are or get the hell off my track.”

I looked at him out the corner of my eye to see if he was serious. Vein popping out the middle of his forehead, nose flared—yes he was serious. More serious than the first day I stepped on this very same track as a Red Devil and he tossed me a shovel telling me to get to work clearing snow from the lanes of the track. It was the first day of the outdoor season and we were practicing no matter what. That was officially my first experience with him as a Coach, although he had coached me from my elementary days. He had also been my sister’s coach. I was there at all of her home track meets, running along with her on the inside of the field. I wasn’t trying to compete with her—no, never. I just wanted to experience what she felt, why she enjoyed it so much. There seemed to be some sort of freedom in it which I recognized at a very early age. He was there guiding her the entire way. He had become an integral part of my life, my second father. His name was Mr. Bennie Edwards.

I remained silent, fearful of my response. I was an emotional wreck. Here I was doing the one thing I loved yet I felt an emptiness; something was missing. That something was me. Someone had stolen me. Like a thief in the middle of the night I was stolen and what remained was just a mere shell of my former self.

Rise and Fall of a Track Star will be released sometime before the end of the year. 

Until Next Time!

Omegia