What, really, is success?

Posted byDenysePosted inUncategorizedTags:,
Daily writing prompt
Who was your most influential teacher? Why?
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She had reddish blond hair, long and wavy, and she was slender. Her hands and features were delicate, and on this particular day, she wore a cream-colored high necked, knit dress. I wish I could remember her name, or even what school it was, but I’m pretty sure it was 8th grade, and she was my English teacher.

The reason I remember this particular day is that I received what I thought was the “holy grail” of grades, and an acknowledgment I’d carry with me for decades. She gave me an A+ on my essay and told me I was a good writer.

I would like to say that accolades carried me into a career that has been fraught with success and high honors, but instead, I took home my accomplishment and gave it away. What I received back looked nothing like what I had handed off. “That’s nice, honey, but you really need to focus more on math. You’ll probably make more money as a bookkeeper or secretary.” Defeated, I dropped my face into a book, lauding, envying, and coveting the recognition of others, seemingly more suited to the task.

Looking back, I can see that had I listened to that still small voice that told me I was good enough, I could have stacks of novels or academic accomplishments to my credit; instead, I look back at the mountain I’ve climbed. I am nowhere near the summit, though I am at a precipice where I can see the world from a whole new point of view. That teacher started me on a path toward success that Arts and Letters cannot laud, but a life lived in curiosity and willingness to keep searching for the Truth.

Published by Denyse

As a writer, my passion is interviewing people and telling stories. For the past few decades, I've had the opportunity to do just that across a variety of media. Beginning in print journalism, I worked as a contract beat reporter for several years, later getting a Master of Arts in Journalism. I picked up magazine work as a freelancer, writing for a couple of lifestyles magazines, and even joining a graphic artist friend to publish our own city magazine. With the evolution of newspapers into the digital world, I headed back to school again, picking up a technical diploma in Digital Media Arts. There, I learned audio and video editing, content creation, blogging, and picked up part-time work in a couple of radio stations as a reporter and content producer. Later, I moved into television news, where I handled the news assignment desk. Writing is and always will be my first love. I continue writing features, interviewing people living their best lives, and telling the stories of those who trust them to me. I am a mom, a grandmother, and am blessed in marriage and life. My husband and I spend time on the water in the summer on our sailboat, and when I can, I am outside in nature on my bike, or walking my dog. I also think dirt therapy is the best kind, and will usually have my hands full with weeding and tending my flower beds.

One thought on “What, really, is success?”

  1. I hate it when grown ups tell kids to concentrate on math instead of English because it will take them further in life. Don’t even get me started… ^_^

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