Takin’ a Moment to say, “hello!”
I just wanted to take a moment to say hello, and welcome!
The vision of having a place to write down thoughts and engage in discussions with people of all thought backgrounds is a long time coming.
I have a unique history for someone who desires to take to the written word as a mode of communicating broadly, as in my younger years - and sometimes still today - I waged war with words.
It was an immense struggle for me even to learn how to read English, let alone become a master of it.
I was held back a grade. Tried Hooked on Phonics, which did not work for me. Had countless tutors; one even lived with us for an entire summer, which I imagine was a big hit to my family because they weren’t exactly rolling in the dough. Attended countless “special” classes geared toward getting things to click for me. All to no avail.
Until one day in my 6th-grade year, I found a tutor who got it…or rather, got me.
Struggling with words was not a symptom of some disorder that could be branded across my forehead for eternity; it was a product of my creativity.
It was something to be celebrated and embraced.
Once I had a tutor who understood my strengths, I started to excel.
I went from Special Education classes to Highest Honor Roll coming into my Middle School years. From a 3rd-grade reading level to a 12th-grade reading level practically overnight. From being the person who never had the correct answer and feared knowledge to the one who eagerly sought the answers, as I was now adequately equipped to do so.
Not that it stopped the struggles, mind you.
Still, to this day, you’ll find glaring grammatical errors in my writing that I’ll never see as my brain just slips right over them. Even into my Masters, I employed tutors to train me on the basic mechanics of writing I should have been taught during those days I was still struggling to begin.
Actually, it was in my Masters that the idea of this site even first presented itself.
Kyle, my husband, and I were married in January between the first and second semesters of my first year in grad school. We were slated to set sale (sic) on a Caribbean cruise Sunday the 3rd and arrive home the following weekend.
The first day of class was that Friday, but I figured it’d be no big deal. I’d return home in time to start the actual work.
Little did I know one of my professors expected the first assignment of the semester to be submitted for a grade that Friday, and missing it greatly impacted my overall score.
O…M…G…did I practically wet myself once that revelation became clear.
Now, this course was run mainly by a TA, so I emailed her the moment I figured it out, and the letter started a little like this: “At this moment, I feel very much like vomiting…”
It continued in a similar tone for another five paragraphs as I desperately begged for leniency. Apparently, this put her in absolute stitches with laughter. Thank you, sweet Baby Jesus. She gave me a few days to make up the assignment, which sealed my decent grade and a special place in that TA’s heart!
During our semester-long relationship, she began to encourage me to blog.
Me? Blog? Nope.
I said that to myself for years. And years. And years. Until today.
Now here I am, finally answering the call nearly a decade ago. So, now that you know a bit about where I’m coming from…please take mercy on me if you encounter any glaring spelling or grammatical issues.
It’s bound to happen at some point! Likely even somewhere in this post… ;)
And when you come across some of those errors, think of this: Albert Einstein couldn’t spell either. Not that I’m a genius or anything, but it’s a good reminder to give myself grace…’cause I’m in good company, ha!
