White Snow and Green Buddha

Today’s snow has afforded me the opportunity to finish work early and head home for one of my most treasured activities – an afternoon nap.  Driving in the snow has never been a problem for me, but apparently folks in Cincinnati don’t understand what it means when white stuff falls from the sky.  Maybe I’m just so accustomed to Columbus winters, I’m not sure, but the drive that was supposed to be harrowing and awful was just a little longer than my normal commute.

During the silence of the drive, I was thinking about this statue of Buddha I picked up over the weekend (at Anya's urging to make my space as peaceful as possible!)

I like the way he looks so peaceful, stoic, and in harmony with his life path.  That led me to consider this writing gig of mine and what I really want from it.  Sure, notoriety is a great thing; seeing my name in print is wonderful, and eventually being paid to tap my fingers on these keys would be amazing.  But what I’m really after is having these stories I’ve lived heard, read, told again. 

It has less to do with being some sort of famous writer and more to do with the full-on belief that the experiences I’ve lived have some weight in the world; that the commonality of all humans can see through socio-economic lines, education, or pedigree and find some truth.

So, I came home and napped.  Woke to a call from Logan asking if I needed anything from Home Depot.  How kind and sweet, right?  I said I was fine and went to check my email.  Ye gahds!  An email from an editor ASKING for my work … non-writer folks, this NEVER happens!  Usually, I feel like I’m groveling at the feet of editors, pleading for someone to read my words.  I messaged back quickly asking if the editor had the right email?  A few messages later, my chapbook was off in the hands of the submission editor for a small publisher out of Cleveland.  I’m not sure what that means, exactly.  But I have to believe it has something to do with accepting the idea that my writing isn’t about becoming famous (though that would be boss as fuck) … it’s more about giving my message to the world.