On September 11, 2001, I was pregnant with my daughter Sydney and had left for a trip to Nashville, TN. I flew from Madison to Milwaukee, WI and was awaiting my connecting flight to Nashville. The status of my flight kept changing and a fellow passenger at the gate said that they heard a small plane had crashed in New York, but it didn’t seem like a big deal. I called my mom and asked her if she could see anything on the news (this was before phones were our mainstay of information). She became alarmed and told me that I shouldn’t get on a plane and they eventually picked me up and took me to their house about a ½ hour away.
We had a meeting in Nashville that had many participants coming from different parts of the country and one can imagine the mayhem it created to figure out if everyone was safe; and they were. My friend and co-worker, Sheila, was instrumental in helping our team. Most of us have a story of where we were, who we knew that was impacted and how it affected us. So much loss, grieving, trauma and healing. My daughter is now 20 years old and I know that this world is better with her in it. I’m incredibly grateful we were spared that day. This cycle of loss, grieving, trauma and healing has repeated itself in my life and while I never welcome it, I know I have survived it before and that’s a thought that can help me pick myself up and move forward when I need it most.
I have some upcoming events that I’d love to see you attend and connect. You might be wondering what it’s like at one of these book talks. We have a seat in a lovely venue and I do a short introduction and then tell stories and read poems for a bit and then we have Q&A. They aren’t cryptic or hard to understand poems, but rather a tool to connect and re-assure the listener/reader that I see them and can relate...and hopefully you, if you stop by. Some poetry can be intimidating or maybe even boring, and I get that. But I promise you’ll leave feeling some positive energy and will be glad you stopped by.
The next event will be at a wonderful gift store in Port Washington, WI called Eclectic Avenue. My friend Kelly Thompson has some paintings for sale there and helped me connect with the owner. Port Washington is a charming city on Lake Michigan, not too far from Milwaukee. Hope to see you THIS Saturday, September 17 at 1 p.m.
I’m also excited for the following week for an event at Lion’s Tooth Bookstore in Milwaukee. It’s a charming locally-owned bookstore. Join me on Thursday, September 22 at 6 p.m.
I hope to see you at one of these events!
Let’s chat soon.
With affection,
Carrie VS
Comments