Never! Well, Maybe? by Barb Greenberg

Sometimes the scariest questions spark the most surprising journeys. This little voice inside us all—pointing boldly from Never! to Well, Maybe?—is where courage begins.

After a delicious lunch at La Cucaracha Mexican Restaurant in St. Paul, a dear friend and I were still visiting with each other as we walked out the door. Just before we headed for our cars, she innocently (or maybe not so innocently!) asked, “Have you ever thought of writing a book?”

My answer was a quick and adamant, “Never!”

Then she added, “Well, I think you have a lot to share with others.”

My first thought was, “What in the world is she talking about?!” My second was “Do I have things to share? I can’t imagine?” which led to thought number three, “Well, maybe I should give it a try.”

I was in my fifties and had no idea what I was getting into. It was hard for me to get started, as so many new things can be, but I was curious. What would this writing adventure be like?

It turned out that once I did start, I had trouble stopping. Writing helped me figure things out, made me ask more questions, made me consider if I was being honest with my writing…and with myself. It helped me explore how I really felt about things and what I really wanted to say, which can be a scary thing to do, at least for me. There were days I would sit down and start writing, whether I was in the mood or not. There were days I trusted that I needed to take a break and play or nap or take a walk or eat ice cream… and that doesn’t just apply to writing!

Writing helped me be braver. Well, until my first book signing, when I realized people were going to actually read what I wrote. Yikes! I’m so grateful that my friend asked and that I eventually said, “Well, maybe.”

When was a time that you said, “Well, maybe,” and what happened when you did?!