Writing has been my escape

A way to cope and

Leave the pain

Behind.

Writing has been a gift to myself

That I unwrap years later

To find time capsules of joy that

I created for

Me.

But when I dared to dream,

I envisioned what writing could be.

Getting paid to write?

Not possible said younger me.

And I dreamed different dreams

That became reality.

But then something happened between

Not giving up and aging.

I rewrote my dream.

First, one story sold

And then another.

Each check received

was proof

that my writing could feed

Not only my soul

But also my family.