A member of the boomer generation, I always felt I was born too late or too early; never quite in step with my fellow boomers. The youngest of five children, with the oldest being 14 years my senior, I often say I grew up older than my years. My friends growing up were generally older than I and taught me a lot. Some of it not necessarily good!
I grew up in the Christian non-denominational Churches of Christ. Started working actively with Christian music at 9 years old when I was the only one who could fill in for the regular church pianist. That was over 40 years ago now, and you’ll still find me frequently playing piano for morning worship services in one church or another.
I grew up in a very small midwest town, attended Lincoln Christian College for 2-1/2 years and then moved to Milwaukee. I pretty much lost sight of God, the church, and anything spiritual during my three years there. I was 21, legal, and partying was the name of the game. I returned home, older, wiser, and a mother. A few years down the road, my son’s health necessitated a move to St. Louis where we spent another 3 years. Since then I’ve been back in the small town where I was raised in Central Illinois.
God blessed me with a multitude of talents. I’ve been a musician since childhood, an off and on writer since my teen years, a passable artist, a capable seamstress and designer of clothing and toys. While I am grateful, and do consider myself blessed, focus has always been difficult for me. There have always been so many avenues where I could direct my talents; making the right choice is not always easy.
I refound my faith many years ago, and concentrated my talents within the church. For more than 15 years I worked as Music Director in the local congregation, working with both adults and children. During that time I wrote several musical dramas, Christmas programs, music to be used in the same, designed costumes, etc. My outside employment during much of that time was with the Special Ed Department at the University of Illinois, where I did some freelance writing for the L.I.F.E. Curriculum for developmentally handicapped adults.
In the mid-1980s I faced a personal crisis that brought forth a lot of changes in my life. I was told by my doctors that I would very shortly be blind. For someone with my creative desires, talents, etc., that was devastating, and I also had a very young son I might not ’see’ as an adult. My poetry writing began during this time as an outlet of my fears, my despair, my slow overcoming of the depression into which I’d sunk myself. I put the poetry aside when my ’sanity’ had been restored, concentrated on all those other types of writing, and ignored it for nearly 15 years until it re-surfaced. It took me awhile to get around to reading my efforts from all those years ago. When I did, I was surprised that I didn’t want to immediately trash can them! They actually seemed good. So I got brave, submitted one to a contest, and received an honorable mention; submitted another, and it was published; joined a poetry community and received high compliments; and started writing again.
Now my pen doesn’t want to quit. Romance, philosophy, the character studies I’m beginning to be known for, all seem to flow forth. I can’t say I usually write ‘religious’ poetry. But what I write is strongly influenced by my personal beliefs, perceptions, impressions of life. A small chapbook, Perceptions of Priscilla was self published in late 1998. A larger collection, as well as what seems like multitudes of single submissions are making the rounds of publishers. A novel has been written; another is in the slow process of writing.
My current employment is as full-time caregiver for my elderly mother. My writing time has become limited and has to be scheduled any more. Life keeps intervening, it seems, but God is blessing me, and has opened doors for me. I have to feel he has a use for what I term my heart’s pen, and will guide me to the right place to use it.
Works
- Poems and Songs