August 29, 2010
Dear Readers:
I woke up this morning, despondent over the second car accident within six weeks. The first totaled my car, the second made a dent in my new vehicle not yet a month old. Neither one was my fault. It seemed that providence was plucking the feathers in my cap faster than Government has been taxing me nowadays.
As I sat brooding over the mishaps in my life, despondence took over, like a dark cloud. I resorted to my e-mail that, I am ashamed to admit, has become my morning prayer. I sank into it like an addict into alcohol, trying to smother worries with a shot of messages. Well, this morning it was worth it.
There was a short message from the publisher to whom I had sent the article, “A Skinny Feast.” The requirement was for a 300-word essay about cooking adventures. The very cornerstone of my writing career was laid down with “Cooking a Chicken in a Teapot,” followed by similar “creative” experiences, so the subject appealed to me. I remembered having written a similar piece that I had thrown into my slush pile. I fished it out and rejuvenated it before sending on.
Lo and behold, right when I needed a booster to prevent me from suicidal thoughts, came the much coveted letter from the publisher. My piece was accepted for publication!
A little sunshine slipped in through the dark cloud, dispersing my morbid thoughts, even though the dent in the car is still a capital problem. This is the second story this year that has been saved from my slush pile. It looks like my discards have turned into an investment fund, appreciating in value in time.
I never suspected that, besides warming the soul, one of the many beneficial sidelines of teasing the muses is being rewarded with rainbows of happiness.
Mary Terzian
P.S. This week the article is posted at www.marialiberati.com. Click on blog. It will also be archived there.
