Written by Gwen
Introducing our newest contributor!
Ever since she won a writing contest in 6th grade for her essay “The Travels of a Quarter,” Gwen has been writing. As a freelance writer, Gwen has written for publications such as Women’s Health and Fitness, Baby Years, Journaling, ADDitude, BHG.com, The Gwinnett Daily Post, Gwinnett Living, and many more online and print publications. Gwen is a former magazine editor and publisher, and is the author of “Ivy: The Story of a Friendship.” Her fiction also appears in several anthologies. When she is not working on her next novel — and other writing projects — she’s busy juggling a full time job as an online marketing guru and hanging out with her family. She is the mother of four; wife of one.
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Last night I visited two spooky houses. In my entire life I don’t recall ever going to a haunted house. I’m a scaredy-cat. I don’t watch scary movies and I still have a hard time sleeping in the house alone. My vivid imagination is what does me in. In the dark and quiet house, I hear the sounds of intruders creeping up the stairs and groans from the furnace in the winter keep me up at night wondering when the family of demons will appear in my bedroom doorway. And I never turn my back to the doorway.
But, there I was, feeling my way through the darkness as bloody people with long fangs and bad breath crept up behind me and whispered in my ear.
I was not alone in the darkness. We were a convoy of women. Six of us. We held hands, grabbed onto each other’s coats, and made our way through the gore and dripping blood (ok, water) like teenagers. Screeching and giggling at every turn.
It was my first time meeting most of the women, who graciously invited me to tag along on their annual excursion and I had a blast. It was funny and scary and I can’t remember the last time I laughed that hard.
As women we wear so many hats – wife, mother, daughter, sister career woman, house cleaner, baker, grocery shoppe– but no matter where we are in our lives, or how well we even know each other, women connect. Maybe it’s because we all want the same thing: to be loved and to be happy. And along the way — between car pools and staff meetings — we just want to have some fun.
Love your story about having fun and how sometimes stepping outside your comfort zone might be a great way to achieve it. Even if it means stepping inside a haunted house. I’m a scaredy-cat too but you have sparked my interest to do something outside my comfort zone this Halloween season. All in the name of fun!
PS…love your blog page (a life less ordinary).
Thanks Kim! I totally think we have to do that from time-to-time. I took a quiz in Oprah magazine “Who Am I Meant to Be?” and was not surprised that results showed that my two “Personality Styles” are “Striving to be Creative” and “Striving to be Spontaneous.” Oprah knows her stuff.
Welcome, Gwen. It’s wonderful to have a new contributor on board.
I can relate to you on many levels. The list of things that scare me is pretty extensive: heights, close spaces, rodents, etc, etc. At the root of it I think is fearing the unknown and not liking to give up control (or the illusion of control, anyway).
Good for you for stepping out and doing something that wasn’t comfortable for you. Having a group of friends to experience it with and have your back is the best, isn’t it?
Ten years or more ago we would take our sons every Halloween and visit Haunted Houses. I loved it and they never seemed to scare me. I am not so sure I could say the same today. I seem to spook more easily now days. Not sure why. Maybe because I have been exposed to so much more real life terror via the media over the last 10 years.
Going to Haunted Houses with a group of Imperfect Women friends seems like a good time to me. 🙂
I agree that we need to allow ourselves to have a good time more often. Welcome Gwen and I really enjoyed this post.
How did you meet these women, Gwen?
Ann,
I met these women through a new writer friend (who I met through another writer friend). After meeting for lunch, talking books and writing, she invited me to join her Bunco group. She put me on the list and the next week I found an invite in my mailbox to the “9th Annual Purple Panty Fright Night.” (Don’t ask!) So I bought myself some lavendar underwear and off I went. We met at a local cafe for wine, chatted for two hours, and then loaded into Linda’s SUV and headed for horror. It’s amazing to me how easy you can fall into conversation with women who you have just met.
In November, we’re going to meet for dinner at the mall for the “Shop Till You Drop Bunco.” I imagine one day we will actually play cards?