Dear Reader Column 03-28-08

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Dear Reader,

Writing keeps me honest. Every day I hold up a mirror and force myself to look in it--sometimes I try to resist what I see.

It's not that I don't like myself, I do, very much. But some days I think the joke's on me. Maybe I'm the last one to get to know Suzanne. After writing a daily column for eight years you'd think I'd know the real me by now, but when I looked in the mirror today I realized I've become everything I set out not to be.

This small town girl wanted to be a big city girl, but in truth I'm a little bit sappy, (rolling my eyes this very minute), a girl who likes to bake cookies and give them away, someone who likes to surround herself with memories of the past--even though she has to rewrite some of them. The girl who everyone thought was a loser, but look at her now; she's found a way to pay the bills.

This small town girl likes to wear an apron around the house and I wear one sometimes when I'm writing, too. My grandma used to wear two aprons, one was for cooking and one was for company. When a neighbor knocked on the door, Grandma would take off her cooking apron and the one underneath was neat and clean. One of my aprons is for writing and the one underneath is when I take a break to cook--when I'm looking for inspiration.

"Thank you very kindly," this small town girl uses that expression because I think it emphasizes what seems to be lacking in the world these days. I don't use it hoping other people will notice, it's there for me, so I don't get lost, so I don't forget who I want to be.

There's still a little girl inside of me who likes to carry a bubble machine down Main Street, like I did the other day, and I hope she never leaves. I move easily between two worlds. I know what's expected of me in the grown up, get ahead world and I do what I need to do, so I don't look out of place. And then there's Suzanne's small town world and I like to share it with people whenever I get the chance.

Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com 
http://www.DearReader.com

P.S. Author Barbara Bretton reads along with us every day at the book club. Sample her book Just Desserts and enter the free book giveaway. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/24xt48 And she's at our Book Forum this week http://www.emailbookclub.com/talk.html

READ THE CLASSICS: The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton and enter the free Penguin Classic's Drawing. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/3a2qs2

Comments

[Nancy]

That's why I like you so much, Suzanne! Happy spring to you.

[Catherine]

Love Suzanne's take on life. I can't wait to read more! Write on.

[Penny Weldon]

Dear Suzanne,
I really appreciate your daily columns and relish reading them. You have put small town America in a good light. I was raised in a small town, had to leave to go to a BIG town and I'm back at a different small town-loving every minute of it! I brag about your columns at the Credit Union, grocery store, City Hall, Post Office and of course, our Library. Keep us small town people alive, with all of our lovely, unique and loving eccentricities...that is what we call being neighborly-not nosey, hospitable-not checking out your home, and welcoming you home with a homemade goodie when you move into our town. It's wonderful to go back to being comfortable with your own skin and you definitely are that and more. Keep sharing!
Penny