For a Little While

"What is man that thou art mindful of him?"(Hebrews 2:6, KJV) "What is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away." (James 4:14, KJV)

Sobering words, aren't they? Yes, they are, and they serve to remind us of our mortality. The words tell us all that we must leave this world one day. We are born, and we die. One of my good author friends, Sandra Robbins, met the call on yesterday. She was a lovely lady with a charming warmth that reached out to touch all who came in contact with her, me included.

You know that I have been aspiring to be an author for a few years. Now, don't get me wrong, I have had the itch to write since I was knee-high to a duck. And, as I have told you before, I kept my friends entertained with my written stories. But it was not until I retired from my second job that I really focused on writing a book. I managed to write two volumes of poetry, and they were received pretty well.

Providence

Well, as you would have it, I was walking through the reading section at Walmart one day and saw one of Sandra Robbins' books. I scanned it and decided to buy it.

When I had finished the book, I thought to myself. "I want to do that-t-t." And immediately following that thought were these words, "But, how?"  Then I thought, "I know what I am going to do! I am going to call Sandra Robbins. She knows who I am because we worked at the same school for a while." So before I could lose my nerve, I looked her number up in the phonebook and called her. She answered me on the first ring and told me that she was on her way out of the door right then, but that she would call me back the next day.

Uh, Oh!

She did and the rest, as they say, is history. She asked me to come to her house in Martin, the next day and to bring a little something that I had written. She said 500 words or so would be good. When I hung up, I remember thinking, "Idiot! What were you thinking?! Now, you have to show up at that woman's house with something!"

I don't mind telling you that I was a nervous wreck. But, I calmed myself down and sat down at that computer after saying a prayer and let my little fingers fly. When I had finished, I had over 1000 words. That was twice as much as Sandra had suggested. I had told her when I spoke to her on the phone that I wanted her to tell me honestly whether she thought that I had any talent or should I just give it up.

The Next Day

So, the next day, there I went using my GPS and her directions to drive to her house. Being the type of person she was, Sandra met me at the door with a big smile. She offered me something to drink, and I politely declined. I thought to myself, "I cannot be trying to drink anything right now. I am so nervous that I would probably drop the bottle or cup."

Sandra said, "What do you have for me to read, Alma. I pulled out my precious little paper and, before I gave it to her, explained, "Now Sandra, I may not be any good at this at all. But I have this burning itch to do more than write poetry so I thought I would let a true writer read something of mine and see what they thought about it."

Sandra said, "Yes, Alma, now give me the paper."

Baited Breath

I slid the paper to her and waited with baited breath, all the while thinking to myself, "Stupid! That's what you are, Alma, just plain stupid. Now this woman is going to know just how stupid you are!" Y'all, I had prepared myself for the worst so that I would not be too hurt by what she said.

When she finished reading, Sandra exclaimed, "Why, Alma this is good!" My mouth fell open and then she went on to tell me what it was about the prose piece that I had written that she really liked. I thanked her profusely and was trying to get out of that house as fast as I could so that I could go someplace and yell really loudly! She did mention something about a writer's group that met in Mayfield on the third Saturday, but I thought to myself, "Uh, uh, I got away with this fluke of a piece, but I am not going to a group where there will be a lot of writers there. And they will get to see that I, not only am not a real writer but that I don't know much either! Uh, uh...

Well Done

I read some of the accolades that some other writers have written about Sandra and her willingness to help anyone that needed it in the writing field. I just wanted to say that she helped everyone she met if they needed it. She even reached out to help this clay vessel. We all got to enjoy her for a little while.

Her vapour has vanished but what an effect she left behind. R.I.P. Sandra Robbins, a life well lived!

Doing What I Can, While I Can Because I Care,

Alma L. Stepping On Carr-Jones

The writing group that she was instrumental in starting? Yes, they are called the Ken-Ten Writers, and yes, I am a part of it! She was right, once again.

To her family, you had a treasure with you for many years. Let her legacy live on through you. Bless you, in this time of sorrow.