Storytelling Journey
In 1999, Professor Julian F. Fleron said, “The creative adult is the child who survived.” He nailed it. Somehow, my creative child survived into adulthood, and I admit, it is most likely because I can be stubborn about what I know is right for me.
I was that kid always making up stories, allowing my imagination to put me in situations where I’d never been but desperately wanted to be. Stories and art and music, and riding horses got me through a childhood overflowing with difficulties.
But I’m not alone, am I? All of us have a story to tell—good or bad. My story isn’t rare. I grew up wanting more than I had. I was near-sighted with an astigmatism that made it impossible to view the writing on the chalkboard and equally difficult to read words on a page. They labeled me stupid from first to fifth grade. I got glasses somewhere in between, but to make matters worse, add dyslexia, until my fifth-grade teacher, Mrs. Plotkin, had me stay after school every day. She stuck me in a closet and, with a flashlight, Mrs. Plotkin would shine that spot on one letter or number at a time, forcing me to focus on that one thing. I’d memorize it and not continue until I could write it properly all the way down a full sheet of lined notebook paper.
I discovered that the lower-case letter ‘e’ is not upside-down and backward. I still see e’s that way, but the letter can’t fool me! Now I know better. Plus, are you aware that the number 3 and a capital E are not even in the same family? That q and p face in opposite directions and {wink!} one of them has a tail! And even simple mathematical equations have letters in them. Who in the world decided THAT was a good idea?
Mrs. Plotkin opened an entirely new world for me. She taught me people actually write stories, not just tell them. Mrs. Plotkin taught me to love reading books.
Of course, as the years progressed, I learned to adjust the stories, switch them up, so it did not appear as though I was lying about myself, but entertaining the reader. I also learned how to break writing and illustrating rules. Not a few, nor many. I broke them all! Which led to discovering my limits, not that it mattered. I ignored limits, too.
Because I always struggled within the American educational system, at 15 I leapt at the opportunity to enter college and study technical illustration. When I exited formal education, I graduated high school with honors, an Associates Degree, and multiple scholarship opportunities. I ignored them all and chased after my dreams. Today it is clear. My complete exit from the ‘higher education’ system led me to where I am today with no regrets.
After two interesting careers—one in corporate America and the other training renegade horses—I’ve settled into the most rewarding stage of my life: children’s picture books, a glorious endeavor filled with wonder and imagination, and beauty. After a lifetime of exploring creative imagination, today I do what Quincy Jones suggests: Follow your goosebumps! They’ll never lead you wrong.
Thanks and gratitude to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, for His many blessings. To Him be the power and glory forever.
