October 2021 – Barbara James

What’s it like when you’re in the midst of a major juggling act? That’s what September felt like for me. The second week in September was fine, Labor Day included, but by the middle of the week, I had a major distraction.

September 11 preoccupied me. I can’t say exactly why. Was it the twentieth anniversary that did it? Perhaps. Might it have also been the recent end to the conflict in Afghanistan that began a short time after the attack? Arguably yes. A twenty year war merits assessment.

So much has happened in those twenty years, but I remember where I was when I heard about what happened. I wasn’t in New York City, but I knew plenty of people who were. I could have easily been one of them, working in lower Manhattan or visiting there for any number of reasons.

A few of the people who died were people I went to school with. I’d seen them around. I didn’t learn they died until later.

Twenty years ago, I was on the phone, reaching out to people that I hoped were okay. Fortunately, the ones I knew who worked in the area and who were there, evacuated the moment they heard what happened. They didn’t stare at the carnage, but got out as soon as they could.

At the same time, I read that numbers of people who remained, and who even helped in the cleanup efforts, have gotten sick with all kinds of lung ailments and cancers. Incredibly unfortunate and sad.

So I got less writing done, even as I had my critique groups to prepare for. Then I had a writing conference, which had me thinking about how to revise what I’d been writing.

Revising while I’m currently in the middle of writing the manuscript? The tweet I posted showed a cartoon character in dismay. But there were a few tips I could implement right away, which was good.

I’m also a member of this writing group:

I’m a reader for a writing contest and I’m supposed to read a nonfiction book for a church-related book review. But it hasn’t come in yet. What about that library book and the book on my kindle? Who knows.

In the midst of this craziness and the griping, I’m glad to be busy and to have plenty of things to do.

Halloween is coming up. I like candy corn.