Word: Inundated
Word Count: 461

Her Pen
By Peg Scarano

She had always loved to write. As a teen and young adult she and her pen vented her emotions through writing prose and poetry. Sometimes, her words would meander through pages and pages filled with emotions running the gamut of euphoria to despair. Not only did she have her own roller coaster love-life to solve, her parents were suffering through their own mid-life crises. She had to juggle her mind and actions so as to not take sides or hurt feelings. Then there was all the high school drama followed by the initiation into college life with all of the academic, social and economic decisions that period of life entails.

Her pen was her escape from reality. Once the passion was on a written page, it belonged to someone else. It was like the ebb and flow of the high and low tides. The fullness of her heart and mind with chaotic thoughts was lessened as the turmoil flowed from the psyche through her pen to the page. It was cathartic but chronic. It was personal and private only to be shared with her pen.

Life eventually moved on. Coping became the new normal. As she matured, she learned to muddle through her problems or she allowed herself to let them go as she prioritized her days in order to survive. Somewhere along the way, her personal needs took a backseat to the physical, emotional and mental needs of others. There was no time to share sentiments with her pen or to escape from her reality. Books written by others helped, but it wasn’t the same. There were her children, her husband, her job, household duties and obligations to other family members. The dream was still there, but it was sleeping.

The golden years snuck up on her as mid-life slipped away. But suddenly, she found she had time on her hands to enjoy the ebb and flow of those tides. Her major obligations were set aside. She could pursue her dream with her pen. However, her life was no longer a roller coaster ride. Where was her inspiration? She eventually found her memories were the key. Look back. Remember. Recreate. She did it. The memory flashes came to life, one story at a time. She compiled them all into a book of memoirs and submitted it to dozens of publishers. Then she waited.

After what seemed like an eternity, she received a letter. And then another. To her amazement, she was inundated with acceptance letters! Multiple publishers wanted her manuscript. They wanted HER stories! Her heart overflowed with emotions – gratitude, happiness, satisfaction, fulfillment and the best feeling of all – success! She did it! With the help of her pen, she had actually lived her dream!

Then I woke up.