Aug 6
My Aunt Rox
icon1 Pamela Weir | icon2 Writing | icon4 08 6th, 2008| icon34 Comments »

Mom and Aunt Rox

Today would have been my Aunt’s 53rd Birthday.

If anything, my aunt was the main reason I decided to start my own business.

She was always thinking up crazy plans. She never doubted her ability to conjure up a good idea and create success with whatever resources were available to her. Even if the idea turned bad, she stuck with it. She made it work, and she became stronger and more educated by the experience. She was an inspiration.

She was like a second mother to me. The other half of my own mother. In childhood, they had been abandoned by their parents and gained strength in their shared determination to stay together no matter what happened to them. They were two very opposite people who were entirely lost without each other. She is wrapped up in all of my childhood memories. On the good days, I can still hear her laugh, and then I remember the days we spent talking about life and drinking tea in my mother’s living room.

I never truly believed that cancer could take her from us. She was too strong. It seemed impossible after all that she struggled through that her own body would rob her of the life she fought so hard to build. During her treatment she would become very ill, but she would always get better and come back to us. We always had hope that she would conquer it and stay with us until she had a chance to grow old. I think we were all in denial.

In December, the doctors said that she had three more months, but she was gone on January 4th, 2008. Her daughter was holding her when she passed.

And now, we’re still picking up the pieces. We’re trying to figure out what life should be like without her. It has been difficult.

I’m not doing her justice here. I can’t find the proper words to express the loss we feel. I’m too wrapped up in images of her illness to describe her life as it should have continued.

We should be calling her today, wishing her a happy birthday, talking about all the things she’s done to the house and figuring out the next time we will be able to get together.

It’s no longer a day of celebration. Instead, it’s a day of silence and remembrance. A day of writing.

Pamela

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Jun 17

My Encouragement

Early last week, I had the pleasure of being included in Bob Younce ’s Dream Meme Finale. Bob’s site has been extremely helpful to me since I began my own journey. His blog offers not only valuable information for freelancers, but also inspiration to keep working towards attaining our dreams.

For those who aren’t familiar, a meme is:

The term may refer to the content that spreads from user to user, the idea behind the content, or the phenomenon of its spread. Internet memes have been seen as a form of art. (Wikipedia)

Instead of the usual meme form of tagging only a select few bloggers, he tagged all of his subscribers. I have been reluctant to participate because I’ve noticed my blog content straying from my original purpose. But, I’m going to do it anyway.

Bob’s rules are simple:

  • Write a short paragraph describing your dream. What is it that you want to accomplish? Your dream doesn’t have to be related to your blog, though it can be. It can be anything - what you dream for your family, your career or anything else you want out of life.
  • Identify three tangible goals you can accomplish in the next year that will bring you closer to fulfilling that goal.
  • Describe one action - just one - that you will take, today, to work toward your goals.
  • Link back to this post , if you please.
  • Feel free to post a link in the comments back to your post.
  • Tag specific folks or all of your readers - however you prefer.

So here goes:

My Dream:

I would like to be a successful short story and fiction author. I’d like to hone and perfect my writing skills, and establish a clear writing style and voice. I’m a talented writer, but I’d also like to be a successful novelist. With that success, I would like to be able to live comfortably, further my academic pursuits, and travel to Ireland so I can drink a pint of beer in a genuine Irish Pub.

My Goals:

  • Increase my writing output by 50%, and my own marketing efforts by 70%.
  • Apply to a University Graduate Studies Program and work towards earning a Master’s Degree in Psychology.
  • Edit and submit my novel for publication.

Today:

I’m placing my manuscript on the shelf above my monitor as a constant reminder of where I was, and where I want to be.

Thank you Bob, for allowing me to participate. I hope by announcing my dream to everyone, I’ll be more motivated to see it through to the end. Whatever that may be.

If you read this: Tag! You’re it!

P

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