Finally Free

By Traci Neal, Hopkins, South Carolina, U.S.

My face is happy in my picture. I am finally free. That is exactly what the COVID-19 pandemic does for me. It gives me the opportunity to live out my dream of being a professional poet.

Before the pandemic, I am living paycheck to paycheck. I am working just to survive. It is an awful situation. When COVID-19 comes to America in 2020, I am working as a Pre-K Aide. I wonder what I am going to do with my life. After work and on the weekends, I occasionally perform my poetry. I think, this is how things are going to be for me.

Then, I have an idea to be a radio guest as a poet. What poet has done that? I do not know anyone, so I give it a shot. In a matter of only six months, I manage to book myself onto 22 radio shows, including iHeart and VoiceAmerica Empowerment.

Next, I make the decision to pursue magazines and newspaper articles. I even do podcasts! These appear to be good accomplishments. Nothing would compare to me getting my letter to the editor published in The New York Times on April 17, 2021. This catapults my career even further. I get more opportunities. I gain credibility. I am able to help a greater number of people through my writing. It is wonderful.

So the COVID-19 pandemic has been a blessing in disguise, for me. It has forced me to get out of my comfort zone. I’ve learned to think outside of the box. The pandemic has showed me I had been holding myself back for many years. There is nothing stopping me now. The smile you see in my picture at 32 years old is the same smile I felt as a little girl with a love of writing.

Just remember. You do not need a great name to do great things. Take a lesson from me. Be free. Live happily.