The Prodigal Daughter - revisited

I spent most of yesterday pouring over my old writings, looking for a little bit of inspiration.  Although I have mentioned it here a few times, I don’t think most of you followed me when I wrote the “Prodigal Daughter,” oh so many years ago.  After I left Mike in the Summer of 2001 I moved home to Keatchie.  A year later I began to write an article for my local newspaper The Enterprise.  They gave me 500 blessed words a week.  “Prodigal Daughter,” was the sub title.  The real name was “The Keatchie News.”

Now as most weeks there was little news to report from Keatchie I was left to fill in the rest.  I would often go and sit with the old men in the community.  They liked to gather in the morning at a gas station in Kickapoo.  I would sit for inspiration and to hear what was going on in the community.  It was here that Novelle disowned and publicly embarrassed me.

The “Prodigal Daughter” ran from the June of 2002 until May of 2003.  It covered part of the chapter in my life between Mike and Jay.  In fact the later articles record me falling in love with Jay.  It is one of the few times in my life where I felt well enough to write on a regular basis, until recently.  Some of those weeks it was hard for me to get out 500 words.  Since I began writing this blog I am averaging several thousand a week, a feet I’ve never done.  So forgive me if it just pours out.  I’ve got 10+ years to catch y’all up on. In those days I had a fan base and regular readers.  I hope that I will have that again.  Hey If I can help one person with the stories of my struggles, than I feel I have done my job. 

In going back and rereading my articles, I had occurred to me that I never told them much of why I came home.  They knew I was recovering from an abusive marriage, but I don’t think I ever told them the horrifying details.  I don’t think I was ready to tell that story until now.

Ilsa