The Call

The Call – you feel that your current life is not enough. You feel restless, dissatisfied. A crisis or series of crises may crop up, forcing you to reexamine your priorities and life path.

~ from "The Hero's Journey

The call came when I was in my late thirties. I was a stay-at-home mom for a number of years following a ten year career as a teacher. I had loved my job-both the students and the teachers. The plan was to take one year off to stay home with my new baby and four year old. One year stretched into six as my then husband was transferred to a new location every two years.

I loved raising my children, and my days were full. I had cleaned and painted every room, created a scrapbook for each child. My linen closet was color coded, and the garden flourished.

But it wasn't enough. My brain spun around in circles. I had so much mental energy that needed an outlet. I was lonely in each new city. My husband was married to his work, and my best friends were the cashiers and bag boys at the local supermarket.

So I began to write. Writing was a way to record the soul scream that welled up within me. I bought a journal and poured out all of the feelings and musings; the frustrations and loneliness.

For the next few years my journals were my only refuge from the pain of loneliness and isolation I had begun to feel within in marriage. That soul scream grew louder until it leapt off the page and forced me to act.