We Said Go Travel's Inspiration Writing Contest. The top 50 finalists were announced TODAY. I am one of them. That's CRAZY, right?
Well, I suppose...
I prefer to describe the phenomenon as 'awesome', 'one of the best things ever', or in similarly constructed positive-type correlations...
I am in the Finalists.
I haven't been in the finalists of anything since I was a kid.
I won the 4-H public speaking contest several years in a row, back then.
This is WAY better.
Over 500 people from around the world entered the contest I'm talking about.
I realize that I sound pompous, or worse-
brag-gy...
Neither projection is my intention.
The motivation for entering the contest,
in the first place-
was not to win...
Don't get me wrong, friends.
Winning would be GLORIOUS.
The initial purpose that prompted my frantic story-writing frenzy-before-the-deadline-arrives-ed-ness... (Whatever, I write that way... when I'm excited)...
WASSSSS....
that I FELT something more than just a desire to gain recognition from my story.
I didn't write what I wrote to be recognized.
I was surprised when my entry was selected to be featured on We Said Go Travel's blog.
Today,
I was
FLOORED.
Me?
Regina?
A FINALIST?
You're kidding.
Really.
No...,
seriously...
WHAAAAAAAAATTTTTT?
So went the reasoning-to-myself process of thought,
which occurred shortly after a notification email was sent to me.
Congratulations!
For what?-
I think this while I read the subject title and opening sentences of Lisa's email notice...
Then,
it hits me.
My story...
It...
mattered.
It mattered to somebody-
to more people than just me-
a newbie writer...
To explain why it mattered to anyone other than myself,
I suppose you'd have to ask the contest judges.
I wrote about my Papa Jim.
I wrote about my Mamaw Rose.
I wrote about our travels together.
I wrote of loss,
joy,
tears,
smiles,
...
In 500 words or so,
I wrote what mattered most to me at that time-
It still matters to me.
It matters that someone read words I wrote-
They thought well enough of them- or me- or whatever the heck-
to make me a finalist of the contest I'm so glad to have been a part of!
Read my story here and find the 'R's in the list of finalists for the Writing Contest!
My name is Regina.
I wrote something that mattered to me.
It mattered to somebody else.
It mattered more to me.
It still matters.
Read it.
Read the other stories, too- especially those from Lisa and George...
I don't expect to win.
But, I hope...
That's kinda what my whole story is all about, after all... :)
Read: Finalist Story for We Said Go Travel Writing Contest 2014 - Regina's Story!
Find other finalists at the following link- List of Top 50 Finalists Writing Contest We Said Go Travel 2014
