Tuesday, March 13, 2012

10 Life-Changing Moments

One of my goals for 2012 on My Name Is Not Bob is to offer more posts that attempt to make a difference--not just for writers but for everybody. Part of that is through my inconsistent Blissfully posts and part of that is through what's been a very consistent Life Changing Moments series of guest posts. Since the stories have all been so good, I wanted to collect the first 10 in this post to make them easy to find and re-visit.


Jane Friedman.

Finding and Longing for Community, by Jane Friedman.
In this post, Jane shares how leaving the familiarity of home led her to a real community of friends--a community to which she's often wished she could return. I'm sure many of us have experienced such a community, time, or place.

Flying Solo: Traveling to London Alone, by Collin Kelley.
Interestingly enough, Collin followed up Jane's post about finding and longing for community with his first solo adventure across the sea (in London). As part of the trip, Collin needed to get away from something, but the city surprised him in the end.

You Look Like Your Mama Mated With a Rhino, by Nin Andrews.
Nin reveals her unique eye disorder, strabismus. As a child, she was told to look away from the camera (instead of directly at it) by her own father, and other children (and yes, adults) were cruel to her about it. However, Nin discusses a moment that helped her move past hiding her eyes.

Bending the Rules: Or a Poet Has to Be a Poet, by Scott Owens.
Scott was asked to write a story--like everyone else--and he did...kinda. He explains that a poet has to be a poet, and so he shared several poems after a brief introduction. Once you read the poems, it's hard to imagine him tackling the task any other way.


Debbie Ridpath Ohi. Photo credit: Beckett Gladney.

When I Learned to Actively Pursue Happiness, by Debbie Ridpath Ohi.
It took tragedy--the unexpected death of her brother and new sister-in-law--to prompt Debbie to start living her life by her own rules, actively pursuing happiness and not letting anything (or anyone) stand between her and that pursuit.

Finding the Courage to "Go for It," by Sage Cohen.
Sage shares her crush on a boy in gym class and talks about the moment she decided to quit riding her bike back and forth in front of his house and do something about it. What happens next is inspiring in that it shows the difference in someone who constantly pines away and a person who takes chances.

When All Hell Broke Loose, and I Got My Life Back, by Christina Katz.
Christina shares a moment in her life when her life could keep going or quit altogether. In a perfect moment, she felt the capacity to end it all or keep going. And that's precisely the moment when many people find out what they're made of.


Jessica Strawser. Photo credit: Lindsay Hiatt.

Surviving Childbirth: Putting Gratitude Beneath Chaos, by Jessica Strawser.
As a father, I've been on the other end of four children being born, so I know a thing or two about what can happen in the process. However, I'm thankful I didn't have to experience what Jessica and her husband went through with her first child. But as you'll see, Jessica is filled with courage and a positive attitude.

The Upside to Getting Fired, by Sharon K. Owen.
I've had a lot of jobs over the years, but I've never had to go through the process of being fired. But I know people who have and know it's not easy (for several reasons). It's refreshing to know someone like Sharon can take such a negative experience and spin it into a whole new lifestyle.

Why I Give Back to Writers, by C. Hope Clark.
Hope is one of those people in the writing community that gives and gives (and gives). This story tells how she got started, who prompted her, and how that relationship made her realize just how much a person can give--even when they can't expect anything in return.

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If you think you have a great life changing moment to share (and you probably have several), click here to learn how to get the conversation started. I'm sure if you think it's important, I may too.

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