Linda's Heart: Journal Prompt #2
The Person I Used to Be
Prompt #2
The Person I Used to Be
Childhood
I was an only child with parents, a grandmother, two childless aunts and uncles. With no competition for attention, I knew I was the center of the family and behaved accordingly.
I have to admit the poem about the little girl with a curl described me perfectly.
“There was a little girl who had a little curl, right in the center of her forehead. When she was good, she was very very good, and when she was bad, she was forehead.”
Example. I spent every Friday night with Grandma. She spoiled me to the point I thought I could have my way, no matter what we played or watched on tv Saturday mornings. One of my favorite shows (I can’t remember which one it was) happened to be on opposite half an hour with Jimmy Dean and his band. Grandma LOVED Jimmy Dean.
When she told me we’d take turns watching my favorite and hers, I got mad! The first time it was her turn, and Jimmy started singing, I announced I was going to play the piano!
She told me to turn the sound down, then watched the program without hearing any of his singing while I played as loud as that old piano would play.
I’m tearing up, just writing about it.
Another time I got mad was on Christmas Eve. Aunt Evelyn asked me to show her the doll clothes Mother had made for my Tiny Tears doll. She took me to my bedroom, which was about six feet from the Christmas tree in the living room.
When we went back to the living room, there were more presents under the tree!
My father told me, “Santa was here but couldn’t stay.”
I threw an astonishing hissy fit! “Why didn’t you call me?”
To this day, I still resent that awful trick.
Teen and Adult Years
I was “very very good” all during junior high and high school. I sang in the choir, acted in plays, and met the love of my life. But I didn’t have enough confidence to try out for cheerleader.
Chuck and I were married in 1971. Christy and Alex came along in 1978 and 1980. During that time, I attended writer conferences, bought dozens of books on writing, and wrote more than a million words with stories, articles, and novels.
For the next three decades of my life, I transitioned into a writer/teacher of writing at conferences. At those conferences, I was the center of attention after teaching each class. I taught writing for children, nonfiction series books, characters and settings, and my plotting system, using the Hero’s Journey/Three-Act-Structure/Plotting Boards.
No one believed that I was too shy to try out for cheerleader.
I had created a new Linda, inside and out. My goal was to sell novels one after another for the rest of my life.
After selling one novel to Harlequin Historicals, caretaking took over my dream and it evaporated. Another new Linda emerged for the next 20 years.
Trying to Birth Another Linda
Do I want to be the same person who is determined to write two books a year for the next 25 years?
No.
Do I want to become a new Linda, who writes at least one novel each year?
Yes.
Is there another Linda hiding somewhere?
There was, until I started writing on Substack. I’m hoping to keep her awake!
I guess you’d have to say that Linda is evolving into someone entirely new. Someone who has the desire to write, read every day, and stick to my new diet, which I did not choose.
I recently learned I have diverticulitis. The diet isn’t hard to follow, and there isn’t a “Do Not Eat” list. It’s a “Foods to Limit” list.
Will diverticulitis ever go away? No, I’ll have it the rest of my life. But that’s good. The new diet has given me more energy and fewer problems with digestion. I’d recommend it to anyone!
The Bottom Line
I think a brand-new Linda has been born. She’ll exhibit bits and pieces of all the other Lindas, with new bits and pieces appearing and growing.
How about you? My email address is below. Be sure to put Prompt #2 in the message space.
Hugs and Happiness!
Linda