Seeing my name in print still gives me a shiver. A few months ago I started freelancing as a writer and photographer for a county magazine. June showed two of my articles while July had one. I know this is small potatoes in the grand scheme of things but it still amazing to me.

I get to go out and talk to people and learn about how they are helping our community. You would think talking to people would be second-hand to me. But this form of communication is different. Each interview I gain a bit more confidence but I have a way still to go. Last week I spoke to a woman who works with a local foundation for Alzheimer’s. This really hit home for me for I have family members right now who have this devastating disease and have lost some to it.

Next week I will be setting up an appointment to meet up with a lawyer, a retired soldier, who works against domestic abuse and violence. This shall be interesting to say the least as I learn about how she gives back as she fights this part of our culture.

All of this helps me not only as a writer but also as a person as I learn about the people around me in my area. It is not just about me and my family but those who construct and run the city I live in. By becoming a freelance writer and photographer, my eyes have been open to avenues that would otherwise have been hidden from me.

I still get nervous before any interview and tend to breathe a sign of relief once I am back in my car once it is over. Will that ever subside I am not sure. But I will continue, for now, to explore the world that is my home in North Carolina. Hopefully it will help me grow as a person in different levels. If nothing else, I walk out of each interview a little different then how I entered.