(Continuation of How I Became A Writer)
In high school and on into college, writing became my way of staying focused in boring classes. It was to be a skill that carried me through many boring Nurse Manager meetings in the future.
As people droned on and on, I escaped to worlds beyond. I am sure they felt gratified to have a student who appeared to be taking notes on every word they said.
I looked up from my writing periodically and nodded, as if I had just grasped an important concept. Then I went back to the fantasy world I was creating.
This skill also served me well years later when I became a teacher. I could spot a faker in a second. Upon occasion, I told a student since they were so diligent in taking notes, I wanted them to share the last topic with the class from their notes.
Writing also became my way of ventilating. I was raised in a world where southern ladies were expected to be “nice.” But the world was not always nice, and I wanted to express how I felt.
So I would go to the safety of my pen and paper. I felt much better after I “let it all out” there.
After Jay and I got married, there were times when I sensed he was not hanging on to my every golden word. In fact, there were times he did not seem to be listening at all.
So as I retreated to my paper, I wrote my feelings. And then I left my writings in a prominent place where I was sure he would find it. I was sure if he only read what I thought, he would respond.
However, this man who constantly read never read what I wrote … until …
One day I was very frustrated about a work situation. Our hospital had implemented a new system of documentation. It resulted in nurses spending more time at the desk charting than they spent with patients.
Our supervisor wanted to show off how well the new system was working. So she made her expectations clear that charting was the priority. I came home one evening and decompressed by writing my feelings.
It was the one time Jay actually read what I wrote. He said, “This is good. You should submit it to — (Nursing Magazine, name deleted)”
I told him they would never accept it. He insisted they would. The casual bantering back and forth somehow led to a bet.
If they rejected it, as I thought they would, he would take me out to eat. If they accepted it, as he thought they would, I would have to take him out to eat.
Stay tuned for the unexpected results. Jay enjoyed his steak. But it was more than his steak that was sizzling!😱
