Medium is my Creative Outlet
“A writer lives in awe of words, for they can be cruel or kind, and they can change their meanings right in front of you. They pick up flavors and odors like butter in a refrigerator.” — John Steinbeck
About Me
I have always had some sort of hobby. It started as a teenager in my Mom’s ceramic studio and changed through the years. Some turned into a way of making additional income. I have made country baskets, jewelry, incense holders, wreaths, perfumes, and various clay creations.
I am now sixty-six years old. Since my birthday is soon, I might have even turned sixty-seven by the time this is published. By society’s standards, I am a senior citizen. By some age group’s standards, I am too old to bother with, let alone have anything worth contributing. The body will agree most days, but not my mind.
Over the past year, I have chosen to let go of my crafts. They tend to cause clutter that I no longer have patience for. The older I get, the more I embrace a degree of minimalism. Even my passion for books is now consolidated to my Kindle. The bookshelves are bare, the craft closet empty, but the need to create demands a release.
I don’t consider writing a hobby that I want to just dabble with. It is a skilled craft, with words being the artist’s tools. Words dip deep into imaginations, unleashing emotions, from delight to heartbreak, outrage to indifference. I have spent my life reading other people’s words, waiting to put my own onto paper. Life never allowed me the time. I now have it.
Diagnosed with a chronic lung illness. I am now tethered to an oxygen machine and fifty feet of tubing that loops around my home, getting caught on everything. I don’t say that for sympathy. It is simply a fact that now gives me the time to pursue writing. I have become an advocate for patients with COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) and other lung illnesses.
I write to educate the public about living life short of breath. It is usually something taken for granted until you can’t do it. COPD does not just affect the lungs. It affects every aspect of a person’s life, from the ability to walk, simple tasks like taking a shower, eating, and mental health. It used to be known as a smoker’s disease, but that is no longer the case. The environment, pollutants, chemicals in our homes and products have made it the third leading cause of death.
I do intend to write about other topics that interest me. I have many, particularly symbolism. For now, I will stick with the old adage, “write about what you know.”
