Earlier today I found myself thinking back to one of the most important things I have ever heard as a woman, a mother, and a writer.

Two years ago the Worcester State University English Department and the Commonwealth Honors Program sponsored The March Hare Series-poetry events featuring well established, nationally recognized poets. Alan Michael Parker and Joy Katz were featured, and each of them read amazing work from recently published collections and works in progress. Following the reading a group of us headed back to the Sullivan Building where both poets engaged several of us WSU students in a master class.

And here’s what stood out to me: Katz talked about taking yourself seriously even if other people do not. I can only interpret what I took from those now paraphrased words, and for me this means taking a closer look and defining what writing means to me:

Writing is NOT a hobby

Writing is vital

Writing is NOT a waste of time

In order to pursue the act of writing time is necessary (see yesterday’s post), and if I need to bypass a work-related event, or my husband takes my child to a birthday party instead of me,  so be it. Perhaps I am selfish, or maybe, just maybe, I am starting to take myself more seriously.