On One Year Later
L’Archivio Storico del Banco di Napoli - The Historical Archive of the Bank of Naples
About one year ago, I began this website. Here is what I wrote in the “about me” section:
Ciao! I'm Greer.
I write poetry, but you won't find that on this website...yet. Though I've known for so long in my heart that I was meant to be a writer, I have had a hard time in the past declaring my intention out loud. I started this website as a platform to share my writing, and to take some of the fear of saying I'm a writer from those words and instead putting it into practice. I hope you enjoy reading about my travels and thoughts, and as I develop the space, I look forward to sharing my poetry with you as well.
One thing that is nice about this digital journal is that I can look back at who I’ve been. Every day, with each new experience, we grow, develop, shed our old skin, and begin again. This past year, like each passing year really, was one of great transformation. And looking back at the “me” who wrote those words one year ago? Well, she had no idea what was waiting for her.
One of the things I am most proud of from this past year is publishing my first collection of poetry. In a way it was both a spur of the moment decision and a project long in the making. It was the culmination of years of yearning to express myself, with the opportunity of time that is necessary to dedicate to one undertaking. And yet, I was surprised to read how I described myself one year ago. I hadn’t read those words for some time.
Reading them now, I can look into the past and remember how intimidating it was to begin this website. To be so bold as to declare myself a writer. Writing makes one vulnerable to oneself; sharing our writing with strangers, and more significantly, friends and family, is to expose our souls at their core.
Someone I love recently commented on this path of mine. She reminded me that “writing was one of my gifts.” I had not thought about it that way. Writing was something I loved to do, and not sharing it with anyone was isolating. The desire to write is a gift I am thankful to receive, and I am grateful that I have the opportunity to share it with others. One year later, thank you for reading.
love,
greer