Every so often I will hear a song that unlocks the door to a room I’ve kept closed and hidden from thought for years. Kelly Clarkson’s Breakaway has lyrics that uncovered the little misfit girl I used to be, especially in these lines:
Trying hard to reach out
But when I tried to speak out
Felt like no one could hear me
Wanted to belong here
But something felt so wrong here
So I prayed I could break away
As my theme for April, I am going to
. . . take a risk
Take a chance
Make a change
And breakaway
I am the youngest of four children, raised in the old-fashioned Irish-American way. I suspect my mother encouraged me to write from an early age to keep me out of her hair, although she may have regretted the decision when my teachers began to call about the controversial stories I was writing. Thus I began my career of butting heads with the good sisters at my Catholic elementary school, and ended it by leaving high school for college with no diploma. I wear my high-school dropout badge rebelliously and proudly.
In college, I became fascinated with the Middle Ages, which was described as a “starry night” by one of my professors. So began a trek through languages and legends that informs my narrative non-fiction and historical fiction, as well as my blogs.
I love feedback and enjoy discussing ideas. I have an accountability blog for the Round of Words in Eighty Days entitled Leavekeeping; I write a blog on literary history, intellectual history, and the history of words entitled Lapidary Prose. I'm on Twitter and Facebook; my email is lapidaryprose@gmail.com.
View all posts by Elizabeth Anne Mitchell
4 thoughts on “Theme for April: Take a Risk”
I love that song. Good luck on your “breaking away” 🙂
I was just reminded of one of my favorite quotes this morning by another Blogger. Something to the effect of, “Ships are safe in harbor, but that’s not what they’re built for.” Without risk, there can be not growth. 🙂
YAY! I worked with risk last month and today I came completely clean & honest with the man I am involved with about where I am in our relationship, what I want, and how – if at all – we want to continue. That thought would have terrified me a month ago. Now, I am ridiculously empowered (even though that word gets on my nerves!)
I love that song. Good luck on your “breaking away” 🙂
I was just reminded of one of my favorite quotes this morning by another Blogger. Something to the effect of, “Ships are safe in harbor, but that’s not what they’re built for.” Without risk, there can be not growth. 🙂
Gorgeous, Elizabeth! And so you shall. Have always loved your header and tagline “Born in the wrong century.” Me, too!
YAY! I worked with risk last month and today I came completely clean & honest with the man I am involved with about where I am in our relationship, what I want, and how – if at all – we want to continue. That thought would have terrified me a month ago. Now, I am ridiculously empowered (even though that word gets on my nerves!)