I fell in love with writing as a small child–an only child who loved reading, writing, and retelling stories. My mother, aunts, and older cousins were often times my audience. I’d assemble them a few times a week to listen to my latest masterpiece — a word I had seen only once in my short lifetime in the form of written feedback from Mrs. LeBlanc, my third grade teacher. It was then that I learned to love feedback and applause. Back then my space for writing these masterpieces was a small bedroom filled with books, an old rocking chair, a twin bed, a re-purposed refrigerator box turned toy chest, and walls draped with stuffed animals and my artwork. I drew inspiration from that small room — a box whose walls could only contain me and my ideas for a short while. They were destined to fly from my mind and wriggle through the small hole in my screen door to places I’d only seen on the globe in my room.
Today, my space is a little different. I have a device for every room — thanks to my husband who has an affinity for tech tools. I don’t have a dedicated space, but I often find myself sitting at the kitchen table (as I am now), nibbling on breakfast or a snack (as I am now), and sharing what comes naturally. The lesson in all this is that your dreams are always with you — whether you’re in an ideal setting in the mountains or a modest shotgun house on West Jeff Davis in my hometown in Louisiana.
When I return to LA for Thanksgiving this year, I will visit my old neighborhood as I do every time I go home. I’ll probably take a stroll past the old house–my humble beginnings– a source of so much joy and love. It is my prayer that a little girl or boy who sleeps in that tiny bedroom will also create masterpieces that will one day sprout wings and fly as mine are doing today.
Well done. I liked that bedroom very much.
Hey…thanks!
Sounds like a cool room.
Beautiful words, Michelle! It seems we’re quite alike 🙂
Michelle,
It’s such a pleasure to read your writing. You write naturally and well. I also like the design of your blog.
Thanks for taking the time to read and give me feedback. I played around w/themes yesterday and found this one. I think I like it. 🙂
Succinct yet thoughtful — I like how you responded to this prompt in your own way, not taking it too literally and going beyond the sample questions I posted.
The ending is lovely, too.
Thanks so much for taking the time to read and offer feedback, Cheri!
Great descriptive writing. I can see that room as if I were in it. I wonder if it helps that I had my repurposed refrigerator box… 🙂 I especially like your home page layout, the art work it beautiful and inspiring – day by day..
I am enjoying reading each day allowing me to know you more. Thanks for continuing to show your heart through your writing. I think it is so funny how our dreams as children often seemed so far away. As we look back as an adult how those dreams formed us to who we are and how God placed those dreams, some wilder than others, but used pieces of them all to grow us into His unique vessel to be used in ways we could of never dreamed.
And, you will pass on W. Jeff Davis many many times during that one visit. LOL! I, too, am enjoying your writings.
You just brought me so much joy, Vickie.To see that someone I love and value took time to read and make a comment on my writing, means so much to me. xoxo
Reminds me of myself as a little girl, lost in my room and my books with my thoughts and stories that I didn’t start penning to paper until I was in high school and had one of the best writing teachers ever who obviously saw something in me that I never knew. I am thankful for Mrs. Mosco and all the others along the way, including you Michelle, who have pulled out and are pulling out of me what was hidden. May all of the little boys and girls around this entire world be fortunate enough to have someone pull their voice out of them whether through writing, storytelling, singing or other forms of creative expression.
Nice to meet you Michelle! Lovely post. What part of LA are you from? I’m originally from Chicago but I’m in Shreveport now.
I’m from SW Louisiana…very different from North LA. How does a girl from Chi-Town end up so far south? Air Force?
Lol, right? Everyone ask me that. I’m not air force but my husband is former military. Anyway he was stationed in NC before we met and had always wanted land so we decided to return to the south and try our hand at the country life. He has family here so we chose this as our snuggle in spot.The Chi is cool but I’ve been there my whole life so its not that big of a deal to me.
“The lesson in all this is that your dreams are always with you”…so true. Lovely post.