A Community and Home for a Lonely Writer

A Community and Home for a Lonely Writer

          For many years I belonged: as a parent and grandparent, as a church member, as a faculty member, as a teacher, as a coach, as a neighbor, as a friend. Then poor health made me practically a recluse. I no longer went to school, worked with students, commensurated and cooperated with fellow teachers. Visits with friends became phone calls, and since they all had other interests, I became an after-thought for many. I saw children and grandchildren when I was able to go to them; therefore, visits became fewer and farther between. My life became no life.

          Then a friend introduced me to Writing.Com. At first I posted a few items and looked around, reviewing occasionally as an item caught my eye and attention. A couple of months later, I received an email asking if I would be interested in becoming a member of a reviewing group. I did, and I found a community and home for a very lonely me.

          Writing.Com taught me that friendships can be made and kept online. I have made some very good friends, some have since left the original reviewing group, in fact the group no longer exists, but who are still close friends. Some friends joined me in a new group, and new friends appear and become dear. I have a wider group of friends than I have ever had. Giving me a wide range of friends is one thing that Writing.Com has done for me.

          Restricted to my house most of the time, I longed to be part of a community as I had been at church and school. Now, I have a new community with a new purpose. I was asked to become the subgroup leader of Raiders of the Lost Art and then an officer. I became busy and felt needed again. I found people interested in reading and helping me improve my writing. I found writers from all over the site interested in my helping them. I no longer felt lost and lonely. Writing.Com taught me that I can still be productive and be a part of society.

          My health, thanks to modern medicine, has improved enough that I can have more of a life outside my house than I did a few years ago. However, I still have to limit my exposure to certain things, and I never know which will be a ‘good’ day for me. However, I can go to Writing.Com any day, any time, and find friends and good reading.

          What has Writing.Com taught me? The people of the site teach me that my life is still bearable and liveable, that my writing can grow and improve, and that the site can provide me with a community and a home.