In my life I have tried to be a more nurturing, responsive and attentive parent than I ever knew. I endeavored not to pass on my pain to my children. I respected their level of understanding and thinking process, and never screamed at them. As a result, my four children had happy childhoods and are better parents than I experienced.
In my civic activities I have tried to promote and be an example of respect for all people no matter their ethnic origin or social standing. I have tried to be a bridge between groups and organizations to help people work together when they had common or similar goals. One result was my being asked by the Imam of the local Islamic center to represent him and the center at a luncheon for business leaders sponsored by the Martin Luther King event planning committee, despite that, as a member of the Baha’i Faith, many Imams, especially in Iran, would want me shot.
I have tried to not let my dyslexia, ADHD, cyclothymia, anxiety or PTSD limit what I attempt or accomplish. I may not have succeeded well, but I have achieved more than if I had not tried. For instance, I now have published a local history book plus many history articles, a science fiction novel, a book on fasting, a collection of short stories (with a second in process), nine collections of poetry, dozens of stories for children, hundreds of individual poems, and I’m nearly finished with a 90,000 word memoir of childhood.
I try to make my writing understandable and interesting no matter the subject or the reading audience. And, I want to help encourage people to think beyond what may be their normal comfort zones. In some cases, I’ve been told, I’ve succeeded. An uncredited comment on my short story, ‘Second Chance,’ states: “In essence, Salome’s story is a testament to the power of love, forgiveness, and second chances. It reminds us that no matter how far we may stray from the path of light, the flame of divine grace is ever-present, ready to guide us home. In the tapestry of human experience, may we find solace in the sacred truth that redemption is always possible, and that love is the ultimate healer of all wounds.”
So, I think I’ve achieved some level of success.