Writing is a Way of Life
By Penny W-T, 15th Jul 2014 | Follow this author
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Posted in WikinutWritingBiography & Autobiography
Consider how writing is a way of life and is a reason for being rather than a reason for doing. Writers will always BE writers, rather than someone who DOES writing as a job or a career.
- Big 'O' Birthdays mark life's Milestones
- Making the Big 'O's Count
- Re-Invention is the Plan
- How is the Decade Panning Out>
Big 'O' Birthdays mark life's Milestones
On a fairly recent occasion I was reaching a further milestone in my life; a point where I could seriously consider moving into my ‘second career’ stage.
Twenty years ago, on a similar ‘Big O’ occasion, I had decided that it was the year when life begins – according to all those traditions – so I made a positive decision to change my life at that point and re-invent myself. After years of occasional writing, I decided now was the time, so I BEGAN TO WRITE FULL TIME AND SERIOUSLY. Two years into that decade and I had regular magazine contracts, writing my own columns in several publications, and life was taking different directions. My children came up with the comment that ‘everywhere we go turns into an article’.
Making the Big 'O's Count
On the next ‘Big O’ event, I threw a party in the ‘Rovers Return’ at the Manchester TV set of Coronation Street, where I was working as an educational writer, producing materials to support school visits to the famous TV site.
A few months later I made my first visit to Ireland, a visit that resulted in me living there over the next five years. The amazing environments of the Emerald Isle inspired my creative writing, and resulted two years into that stay in the publication of my first book of travel cameos around Ireland, that I called "Reflections"
Over these two milestone birthdays my children from an early age, had decided that their mother was, at the very least, developing an air of eccentricity, but then I was born in the post war baby boomer years, and teenaged through the ‘bohemian’ influences of the flower power 1960s, so what did they expect??
Re-Invention is the Plan
With this current milestone approaching rapidly, I had been wondering what this new stage will bring. Then, for Easter, my “children” bought me a book – “What should I do with my life?” and I realized that the next re-invention of ME is due. The book is a fascinating collection of life stories researched from ordinary people, who have been actively reviewing who they are and what they want to do with their lives. Before I had finished reading the introduction, I had decided that the next few weeks sees the start of my next level of self definition.
How is the Decade Panning Out>
So what do I want to do with this next phase of my life? On the first day of the next decade I reviewed my life:
• Free of ties – my children are following their own paths and making their own mark in life;
• Beautiful grandchildren – with whom I can spend as much of my time as possible;
• Self employed – so no employer to answer to, and no need to ‘retire’ because I’ve never had a job as such, just a hobby that took over my life years ago;
• Independent and self sufficient – and currently researching and writing four different books simultaneously;
• My own car – therefore mobile;
• Still full of curiosity - and an unquenchable thirst to live for ever and learn everything.
So if you have a pending similar ‘Big O’ (of whatever number) let us raise a glass to each other and celebrate our limitless opportunities to be ourselves and make a difference with our lives for the next decade.
Comments
15th Jul 2014 (#)
what an inspiration you are...many thanks...
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16th Jul 2014 (#)
Thank you for your kind comments. I try to show things as they affect me, in the hope it will helop others see how their lives can also be affected
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16th Jul 2014 (#)
Great! You sound like me. I'm at and have been at several critical stages in my life recently, pertaining to motherhood and writing and professional goals. Much success with all your endeavors!
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16th Jul 2014 (#)
So wonderful to be so excited about the stages of life! Thanks for sharing!
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16th Jul 2014 (#)
Thank you for your comments girls. I have always tried to have a positive outlook and see what each day brings. I am hoping to have a good summer writing again now.
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17th Jul 2014 (#)
Love this.
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17th Jul 2014 (#)
Thank you bgkov for taking the time to read this page, and for your comments.
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18th Jul 2014 (#)
This is the first time I have read you, glad I did.
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18th Jul 2014 (#)
Thank you Utah Jay for taking the time to read this page, and for your kind comments.
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