: About Me

Fresh out of high school I became a mother and a wife, moved away from my parents for the first time, and quickly learned much about life outside of a school building. I am 18 years old, and I am loving life, albeit it is a crazy one. I have always been an avid reader, and already miss english/literature in school. (How often do you hear that?) I have always wanted to write but have had much too many interests to ever make it a constant hobby. Now that I have a newborn, I know I will have much more time to write and enjoy the literature I was ignoring while working full time.

My passion is ...

teaching my son all about life and living.

I know too much about ...

my in-laws :)

My parents always told me ...

do your best at everything, no matter how unimportant it may seem.

My childhood ambition ...

was to become a writer, a missionary, a mother, and a veterinarian... I always knew that I was going to be a mother but I wanted to take it much further. I wanted to show my children everything there is to know about life and the beauty of what we have. But I always knew that I would be happy no matter what as long as I was able to work at something and fulfill some purpose.

My favorite memory ...

is not one in particular, but all of the memories from my childhood. Everything was an adventure, and I never failed to recognize that thanks to my mom.

Why I write ...

I write to express myself (and to be honest, I have this interesting love of the sound and feel of typing on the keyboard...). I have always been able to express myself much better on paper than through the words that flow brokenly from my mouth. I write to find myself, in a way, and hopefully someone may be able to find joy in what I write. When that happens, it is always the best feeling. (Selfishly, it used to be better when it was a high school teacher... it meant you got a high mark :D )

What I am reading/watching/listening to ...

I just finished several Jane Austen novels (my mom introduced me.) I absolutely love her literature but have yet to find a film of her work that does it justice... I say the book is ALWAYS better than the movie. However, I have been watching "So You Think You Can Dance" avidly... one of the first times I have actually watched more than one show in a television series... I find myself with chills when I see a good performance. I have always found such profound expression in dance.

My first job ...

I was offered a job at a local water store. (Yes, water store.) I worked alone, acting as secretary, manager, cashier, and labourer. You mainly filled 28.9 L bottles and carried them to the customer's vehicles. Needless to say, it helped with my muscle tone but not my sanity.

My best moment ...

Finally finding my best friend in my mom. It took much too long to realize the reality of what a mother does for her children and who she can be to them. Hearing her tell me that I am a good mother was the biggest compliment I have ever recieved. If only my eyes had been opened sooner to friend placed right in front of me.

My inspiration ...

My life has been inspiration. Memories, people, places, experiences. I find inspiration in nature, music, movement, society, human nature, and everything in between. To be honest, my mother was the inspiration behind this inspiration. She taught me to find art and beauty in everything; to find peace and happiness in even the most still and silent moments.

Arts & Humanities > Writing at Helium Commentary: Feeling the spirit of Helium - A personal perspective

2 of 17

Late at night, squished to the edge of a queen size bed, (how can one man take up so much room?) listening to my husband's soft snoring and ready to leap to the crib at the first sounds of my 2 month-old son waking, my creativity is unleashed. Maybe it is the only time for me that is truly quiet, or maybe God just decided he likes me better tired, but the never-ending flow of thoughts through my head keeps me from sleep. Unfortunately, I need sleep very much lately, and I am finding that all my ideas are forgotten by the time morning comes (along with a new jumble of worries and mental to-...

More..

• Helium Charter Member