Twenty Years

So I had a meeting in person, (yes in person), at Sip, a coffee shop near my house. Sip is frequented by those who are natives of West Toledo, those who call the University of Toledo their alma mater (one day and presently), and anyone else who discovers SIP in their travels. I’m not native and not a UT alum, but Toledo has been my home for the past 28 years. I call it home for a lot of reasons; right now it’s a pretty good place to be. There are no natural disasters, the cost of living is low, and it’s a great place to raise kids, as the cliché goes.

My supervisor was giving me my 20 year award for service at work, which in my career (social work) does not make my net worth go up. Suffice it to say, after the meeting, I thought about where I’ve been in life these past 2 decades. A few failed relationships, and finally, a right and good relationship, three kids and two grands, and of course my day career.

And then there’s the writing. Twenty years ago, I barely had time to think about freelancing, although writing fiction has been in the back of my mind since I was twelve. Ten years ago, I started working on a chapter for a book which was published by the UT Press. Three years ago I got serious about freelance fiction, which meant giving up some other activities for the time being, and buckling down and doing the hard work even when other things pulled me away.

Today, I’m feeling pretty good about all of it. Even in the midst of the crazy/wonderful free time world we call the pandemic, I’m feeling good. Here’s to 20 years in 2020.