Unexpected Gifts
The words of my 11th grade English teacher came rushing back, “You will get through this class because you work hard, but you are just not a writer.”
At the time, I was too young to argue with her because I had no aspirations of a career that involved lots of writing and I had zero ambition to ever become an author. My teacher’s words were etched into my memory but had never tarnished my soul. Becoming a published author was not on my “bucket list.”
In my career as a physical therapist, I did write to communicate facts and I loved writing handwritten letters and thank you notes. That was the sum total of my writing.
Reflecting back, one of my joys as a mom of three was reading with our children at bedtime. We would cuddle together and turn pages until one of us fell asleep…and it was usually me. Collecting books from places we visited became a special tradition and means to remember fun we had exploring new places. Those books were always at the top of the stack in our nightly reading ritual.
As our children grew, so did their imaginations and belief that anything was possible! We had discovered a special island along the South Carolina coast and we just knew there had to be a keepsake book to go along with this gem of a place. Our search began and ended very quickly as we discovered “the book” didn’t exist. What does a child do when something isn’t there? They imagine, create, and begin to believe that it can be real.
At the time, our daughters, Madeline and Mary Catherine, were in third and first grade and they were completely convinced we could author this book about our beloved Seabrook Island. But my mind raced to the details—the story, the illustrations, the publishing—there were so many facets to accomplishing this daunting task and I had not a single skill that even remotely matched the needs of this project.
Maybe I was less courageous than my daughters because during this same time, some unexpected life circumstances brought me into a season rift with anxiety and PTSD. In order to cope, I began to journal. On paper, I found clarity and discovered the therapeutic nature of writing. My writing was providing me space to process my anxiety and PTSD. What I had learned about the mind-body connection from my formal education as a physical therapist was becoming so practical as I recognized how unhealthy thoughts could travel from my brain out of my body through my hand. The pen and paper were therapeutic tools for opening my heart, letting go and beginning healthy renewal of my mind, body, spirit and soul.
My girls and I began to dream together, sharing our ideas about silly coastal characters, the pictures that could be drawn for the book, and even the places the book might be available. As we spoke our desires, the dreams slowly became reality. Windows began to open and people that were already in our lives had connections that met our needs. We discovered an amazing artist who wanted to try book illustrations, a graphic designer who had vast experience in book publishing, and talented writers that were willing to share their craft and edit our work.
Thankfully as parents, we are often open to the ideas of our children. It was their spirit that pushed me to try something that seemed unattainable and taught me a life lesson that is irreplaceable. The joy of writing had been ignited and I would soon learn it would be an integral and essential part of my journey.
That first “dream” book was published in 2014 and we would go on to publish two more to complete our Explore with Mimi children’s book series which includes, Mischievous Mimi Explores Seabrook Island, Mimi Discovers Sullivan’s Island, and Mimi’s Adventures on Kiawah Island. This trilogy had reignited a childlike spirit in me and provided countless lessons in trust, perseverance, and the importance of community and collaboration.
The writing dream of my children had ultimately become a therapeutic means of healing in my life.
May we believe that our new experiences and opportunities will grow us in unimaginable ways and ultimately provide a space for sharing our gifts with others.
—Catherine
Catherine Goodman Farley is the author of the Explore with Mimi book series (https://www.explorewithmimi.com) and the upcoming devotional From Desert to Dawn, a collaboration with artist Julie Barnett, with inspiring words of renewal for mind, body, soul and spirit care. Learn more about Catherine on her new website https://www.catherinegoodmanfarley.com.