Life doesn’t always turn out the way we wish, and maybe that can be a good thing. Most people would agree with that statement, but not all. That’s been my experience. Even if I could, I would change little in my life—except for that one thing.
After nearly drowning in Tampa Bay, my awareness of how delicate life is and how important we are to our family became abundantly clear. Serendipitous moments like that can suddenly change our life’s direction, and the reality is, the road back home can never be the same.
Stepping over broken fences
Writing is a method of escape for me. I take comfort in snatching bits of memory and shaping them in a readable form. It invigorates my thought process and stimulates my memory. It is my way of capturing an exciting experience or quelling internal pain that gnaws my gut at night. Writing also helps bring a more straightforward understanding to my life, to my story.
There’s a delicate line when writing a personal story, and as other authors may admit, putting pen to paper can spawn a life of its own. With an attempt at clarity, I’ve written my memoir without tedious detail. That may leave unanswered questions. I can only offer that decades of life can lead to answers you need not know. And that brings me to another reason my memoir went unpublished for so long: it didn’t feel right to me. Sometimes I say too much. More often, I say too little.
My reluctance to share a personal story with friends and family is another reason I couldn’t hit the print button. Mainly because my outward persona is different from my writing style. When face-to-face, I can easily disconnect with some people. This is probably a fear of rejection or adverse reaction. Writing allows me the freedom to unfold my private world of bottled-up thoughts and feelings. Often, they are strong with emotion.
…and that one thing? Well, I can’t change that, but I’ve written my memoir to help comfort my soul and heal my broken heart. Please read the synopsis below or go to Amazon.com.
Bookshelf copy
Linda and I began penning our story during the summer of 2012. It was about two kids coming of age and falling in love. But soon, fate would bring a tragic twist to our lives. Nothing could ever be the same. During those darkest nights, we bared our souls and unveiled our deepest fears. We cried and held each other tight, knowing life is about today, not the uncertainty of tomorrow. Hoping to leave more than broken hearts and faded photographs, we decided to share the secrets of our childhood romance. Swirling around a lifetime of memories is a medallion, a ring, an emerald cross, and an anonymous letter. Afraid of losing the significance behind those personal treasures, we begin our story with the day we met.
Writing this book has been an emotional release for me. It clarifies my truth and helps soften the anger and lessen the hurt of a broken heart. I hope these writings will give insight into what shaped our destiny and how we became inseparable and forever in love.
Although the deepest love can bring the greatest sorrow, I have found joy in sharing my story with you.
