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Monthly Archives: August 2011
A Flip-Flopping Legacy
Years ago, I used to sell items that I had crocheted at a farmer’s market in Pickens County, Georgia. I sold all kinds of things ranging from shawls, hats, scarves, and flip-flops that I had crocheted on. Of course, that was before Major Depression and anxiety got in the way of me doing things. In fact, as much as I enjoyed crocheting, my depression and anxiety got so bad that I could not do it anymore. I simply could not concentrate on what I needed to do. However, before I gave up crocheting the Home-Ec teacher at the local high school asked me to teach her how to crochet on flip-flops.
Apparently, there is some type of Home-Ec club that students can belong to. Because it is not one of the more popular or well-known clubs it often lacks the funding to send the kids off for competitions. Her idea was to create a few small inexpensive projects that could be sold at the farmer’s market as a way to help the students raise money for their trips. She thought that the flip-flops would be something easy for them to sell.
I spent a few afternoons over several weeks showing the teacher and a few of her students how to crochet and flip-flops. They set up a booth at the farmers market and seem to do pretty good selling them. Once it became difficult for me to leave the house I lost track of the teacher, the students, and how they were doing at selling the flip-flops.
A couple Saturdays ago I had the opportunity to go to the farmer’s market, someplace I had not been to for a very long time. While I was wandering around I discovered that Home-Ec teacher sitting behind a booth selling products for the Home-Ec club. Guess what she had on her table? If you guessed flip-flops that had been crocheted on, you are correct!
Even after all these years, she and the Home-Ec club were still selling those flip-flops. That made me feel really good. I have left a positive mark in the lives of teenagers I have never even met.
You know, part of my depression was beating myself up, and telling myself that I was worthless and I had nothing to offer the world. I realize that what I thought about myself was untrue, but there is something about seeing a tangible mark that you have left in the world that makes you feel good. It also emphasizes how wrong I was when I believed that I was worthless and had nothing of value to offer the world.
So without hesitation I can proudly say I have a FLIP-FLOPPING LEGACY!
I know that many of you who read my blog are in the place I was a few years ago. It is a dark and lonely place, and you may believe that you are worthless and have nothing of value to give to your family, your friends, and/or the world. However, I want you to know that you do. I never realized what an impact silly, little, crocheted flip-flops would have on people I never even met. I bet know that each and every one of you have contributed something positive and good to the world, but maybe you are just not seeing it right now. I would like to urge you to take some time, attempt to put aside the negative feelings you have about yourself, and really look at your life. I know you will find something that you have given to the world. Do not discount it because it may seem small and silly to you, because it is possible that it has had a bigger impact on people’s lives than you realize.
Writing Inspiration – Emily Suess
I was thinking about something the other day. I was thinking about whom or what initially put the idea of making money by writing into my head. No, that is an incorrect way to explain it. Let me rephrase that; I was thinking about the person who showed me that I actually could make money by writing. While I was thinking about that person, it dawned on me that I do not think I ever have told her what an inspiration she has been to me.
That person is Emily Suess, of Suess’s Pieces. Emily is one of the funniest people I have ever met. She has a way of writing about everyday events that makes them sound completely hilarious. She is also the first person who ever took a chance on me when it came to paying me for writing. About two summers ago Emily had a little more freelance writing work than she could handle. Knowing that I was trying to break into the freelance writing world, she hired me to do some of her overflow work. It really meant a lot to me that someone who had been writing for money for quite some time would take a chance on me, someone who had never written professionally.
Emily gave me a taste of what I wanted to accomplish, which was being able to write and get paid for it. Writing for her was inspiring and motivating. It was something that I could hold onto until I got my own writing job. I believe that if Emily had not given me a taste of what writing from home would be like, I would have eventually given up on that dream. I will always be thankful to her.
Dad Took Me Shopping Tuesday
My dad took me shopping at JC Penny’s on Tuesday. Yes, I realize that is a rather odd sounding statement since dad died in March but it is the truth.
A while ago, when mom is going through some of dad’s things she found several pairs of pants that he had bought from JC Penney’s before he died. They still had the tags on them, and together they added up to a great deal of money. Mom had set them out in order for one of us to take them to the store to see if we could get a refund. The clothes sat where she had put them for several weeks. Last night I finally had enough of seeing them sit there and decided to take them to the store. Mom and I both hoped that even though we did not have the receipt that JC Penny’s would refund the money rather than giving us a store credit. In the end, due to store policy, I had to take a store credit.
After I was given the store credit I called mom and let her know how worked out. While I was talking to her I noticed that JC Penny’s had huge sales going on. I asked mom if she would mind if I looked for a dress to buy for the cruise and used the store credit to purchase it. Of course, she said yes.
I found a dress that I fell in love with. What made it even better was how much it had been markdown. Originally, the dress was $120. It had been discounted all the way to $47.99. The low cost of the dress meant I still had plenty of money left on the store credit. So I wandered over to the shoe department to see if there were any shoes there that I can afford. I found the perfect shoes for my new dress, and guess what? They were on sale too! I was able to buy a pair of $55 shoes for $35, and there was still plenty of money left on the store credit. That meant I could go to the jewelry department and try to find some accessories for my new dress and shoes. I figured I could probably buy one bracelet or one necklace; however, I ended up being able to buy both, because there were sales in the jewelry department as well.
I love my new outfit, and I really do feel like dad is the one who bought for me since I used a store credit from his clothes to buy it. I know that if dad were still alive he would be getting a great deal of pleasure from how much I love my new outfit. He was just that generous.
I Love My Blog and I am Thankful for My Readers
It is hard for me to believe that it has actually been 10 days since the last time I wrote in the blog. This time last year, it felt like the only positive thing I had going for me was this blog. I spent all my time either thinking about it, thinking about what to write in it, thinking about who was reading it, or writing in it. My blog represented my whole world.
Do not get me wrong, I still love my blog. I still enjoy thinking about what to write in it, thinking about who is reading it, and I still enjoy writing it. However, my life is so drastically different than it used to be that it has become difficult to update it daily like I used to. In the beginning, as my life got busier and busier, I felt a little guilty for not updating it daily. I felt as if I was letting people down. Recently, I realized that just because I cannot update it daily does not mean I am letting anyone down. It is just that I have had to reprioritize the place that the blog holds in my life.
I love my little blog. I really believe that it has helped me, as well as the people I have met through it, get mentally healthier than I have been in my whole life. I am thankful for all of YOU who take the time to read it, comment, or give your financial support.