At least I hope … let me explain …

Maybe I am paranoid (slightly), or highly-sensitive to other peoples’ feelings (Wonder Twin Powers Activate: Empathy), or aware of other peoples’ reaction to words written or spoken (Curse of a Special Education teacher), but I recently wrote something that has been eating at me, that my words may be misunderstood by the world masses or even just one person in particular, my friend “Tom”.

I shall explain …

I was recently asked to post a blog for Blog Z of Zharmae Publishing. I willingly jumped on the opportunity. The overall gist of the post was for readers to climb inside a writer’s head and give them an understanding of our thought process (well at least my thought process). In that post I wrote and I quote my own words:

“Walk up to them and say, “Hey Tom, I believe in aliens and they are currently living on a second moon that orbits around our earth and is suppressing the sight of this second moon through our souls.”

Or, “Hi Anna, I met an Elf that gave me a great wild herb recipe to prevent sunburns.”

After those words leave your lips wait for it. Wait for the jokes. Wait for the wisecracks. Wait for the feeling of being indirectly ostracized and privately ridiculed from your friends and your neighbors. Feel the flush of heat that rushes to your cheeks and then the cold, wet, heavy, rain fall on your bare skin as you watch the door of the society close in front of you.”

After rereading my post for the six thousandths time, I was struck like the AT-ST Walker in Return of the Jedi when it gets smashed by the logs released by the Ewoks, that my friend/neighbor “Tom” may think or feel that I was implying that he “ostracizes” me for my crazy ideas. And that is the farthest from the truth!!!!! (Yes, “Tom” is not his real name, but please don’t confuse him with my other neighbor, who is also a Tom. Augh .. the hole only gets deeper Alice! Double Augh … she is my other neighbor …. Quickly I shall move on … ).

“Tom” in the quotes has always been kind and encouraging to my thoughts and ideas. He has been supportive and excited in every step of the way with my life events from my first book being published, my job as a professor, and my wedding. Even though “Tom” started off as a neighbor, he has become my friend. When I wrote the first draft of this blog, I used “Tom’s” real name, but changed it later to “Tom” to protect the innocent. I used his name as a sense of pride because I love that he is my neighbor AND my friend. In my mind, I was referring to “neighbors of society” in the blog post, not specifically “Tom”, and I used his name as a sense of pride. (I hope that makes sense, it does in my head.)

So “Tom”, I was not implying that you ostracize or ridicule me for my thoughts and ideas as a writer and I apologize if you took it that way. From the deepest parts of my heart, thank you for being who you are and your amazing friendship. If all “neighbors” of the world were as awesome as you, our world would be at peace!

And one last thing …

“Tom”, I still believe those “screams” at 4 am were from Bigfoot and not Owls mating!