Essay #7

I am rare, and there is value in all rarity; therefore, I am valuable

-Og Mandino

During the writing of Essay #6, I felt it got away from me.   This is a sad confession for a writer.  My goals are for you the reader to be inspired, entertained, and informed.  To get something of value in exchange for the few or several minutes it takes to read this post.  I started essay #7 with the initial idea of making my intentions for the blog and writing career clear, for myself and others. So, anyone who read the content would understand…

It got away from me again.  Then it seems like my life attempted to get away from me.  I wasn’t alone.  But it isn’t a consolation.  I got sick with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).  I had hypoxemic respiratory failure.  I was in the hospital for 3 months.  I’m still recovering.  I was released from the hospital with oxygen.  I can barely walk without going out of breath.  Despite all that, I am grateful that this is the only thing wrong with me. I pray for the others that are in similar or worse situations.  I am humbled to know that other people, not my family prayed for me.

My experience in the hospital was intense.  I wrote about it but I’m not ready to share.  I am still getting the threads of my life together.  This pandemic shredded it.  I have been unemployed since I was admitted to the hospital in the last few days of March 2020.  Even if I get off the oxygen, I don’t think I can go back to the job because of the physical activity it requires.  The realization of many things can be overwhelming, remember the quote above.

These are the things I am doing to feel that I am not only healing physically but moving forward:

I make and keep appointments with my doctors.  The lack of self-care is a real thing and not just a health craze and clickbait.  I let myself fall through the cracks and now since almost dying, I must work to get better and maintain that wellness.

Starting next week, I will be posting along with quotes for writers, I am challenging myself to write at least 100 words and post them.  I started this post in February, came back to it in June.  I have waited almost seven days to re-read and complete it.  I am giving myself a pass because of health issues and the world.  However, at the end of the week, it is easy for the negative feelings to rise when nothing of value is accomplished.

At first, many of us thought that the lockdown would mean time to be creative.   It worked for some and then there were people like me, who were already struggling the added stress due to the state of the world did not help and I was sick.

The previous challenges have been 500 words, then 500+ words, I have even gone up to 750.  I’m started lower than usual because I am trying to meld habit with inspiration again.  When inspiration fails, the habit will take over and vice versa.  I learned about that from great author Octavia Butler.   How can I go wrong?

Another thing I must do is read something uplifting, read something educational, and read something true.  If I am lucky, I will be able to stay in tune with my work.  I have been stalling on reviews.

The beginning of the year was difficult.  I am glad to be alive. I believe my life has a purpose and this thing I do here is my talent.  I may never be a best seller or reach the views of millions in my lifetime.  I post my essays for the few and that one who will read it and be happy, that one who would read it and be inspired to write better and that one who will read it and not feel alone.   We are all rare and we all have value.

End