I was in a foreign country, in a bookstore. There were books in several languages, not grouped by language, but by content. Some of the content I had written about, so I began to search for books that might possibly have some of my writing. I found some. As I found them, I began to pull the books off the shelves. I didn’t know why; I wasn’t going to buy them, I had copies at home.
The clerk noticed my actions, since I was the only other person in the shop. She asked a question I can’t remember.
“These have writing of mine,” I replied.
The clerk became excited. A foreign author was in her shop and her books had some of his work! She insisted on taking my photo with me holding the books. She would post it on social media. I was a special guest without even knowing it! She even gave me little gifts, promotional items left from past events. She was giddy with excitement.
When I left, I marveled at my new status. At home, I was an insignificant nobody, despite my publications. Growing up, I was valued only for my labor, but never highly because the adult standards were beyond my childish efforts, and many tasks required procedures that were redundant and superfluous, so I was chastised constantly for failure.
Now, suddenly, I was a literary hero.
WOW!!!!
Despite the dyslexia, Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder, cyclothymia, anxiety disorder and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder which I struggle with every hour of every day, I had accomplished something that someone, a stranger even, felt was valuable!
WOW!!!!
My entire view of myself was turned upside down!
Is this truly who I am?
That was hard to accept, yet I cannot deny the work I’ve written, what has been published, and the excited joy of the clerk.
WOW!!!!
What a different me this is!
WOW!!!!