A Dash of Words with Loleta Abi Romance Author

The Writer’s Wheel 8/16/2020: Falling Down and Getting Back Up

Loleta Abi

I can’t tell you how many times in my life I fell and had to get back up. I’m speaking in terms of dreams and paths taken. When I was younger, I wanted to be an Equine Science Major. Perhaps with my future health issues and disability though, God steered me elsewhere. I tinkered with the idea of becoming an author in college but didn’t feel I matched the talent of those around me pursuing it. The funny thing is, one friend ended up with the horse and I in the writing she wanted to do. It’s strange what we discover about each other on FB.

After financing fell through on my major for me, I returned home to begin a mundane job in a factory and I thought a shame of an existence. What I didn’t realize was that roads would turn elsewhere for me. I decided to use some of my money to apply to a Writer’s Digest fiction course. I applied for both the short story and novel courses. My instructors were fair but tough. Sometimes, my stories weren’t solid enough. Other times, I hit just the right effort. I was pleased and a bit nervous to show anyone my work. But I made the effort and found some good critique partners along the way.

After my disaster of a marriage, my self-esteem plummeted. I didn’t think I had it in me to put myself out there again and try writing again but I did. It’s been a slow climb but I’m getting there. What I’m trying to say here is: don’t think you’re finished before you barely begin. Take a chance. Pick up the pieces. Keep trying. If that doesn’t work, try something else. Keep doing so, especially when you find the thing you love doing.

I wish I’d gotten things right the first time out of the gate. We all do. Maybe you weren’t ready then but you are now. You may stumble. Hey, that’s life. The important thing is to find someone to believe in you. To cheer you on. Who doesn’t have a dream that gets turned around? How many people head to Hollywood to be the next big thing? We can’t all be.

A lot of stars fade out into regular jobs. There’s nothing wrong with that. It’s part of life sometimes. Choose something else you love and follow that path. You may find you end up enjoying that more than what you originally pursued. Life’s funny that way. God has something in mind for all of us. What he does, may not be what we expected. But sometimes when we look around, we can see why that came to pass.

Picking yourself up in life can lead to some sweet spots. You just have to trust that God knows what he’s doing and hang on for the ride. Have a great week, take care, and God bless!