Communication Writing, Com 200, at Bradley University in the fall of 1987 included about 20 young students, our professor, the late Dr. Jack Fought, and me. I was the one with apprehension written all over my face. Old enough to be the mother of any student in the classroom, I was a recent graduate of Illinois Central College with a declared major in philosophy at Bradley. Mine was not a traditional college experience, but I learned much more than was listed on the curriculum.
Com 200 was a class designed to introduce students to various writing styles. We wrote human-interest stories, business and marketing papers, headlines, advertising, press releases, all designed to give us experience in different aspects of writing. I discovered immediately that writing headlines should not be in my chosen field.
One year later, Dr. Fought and Dr. Joe Misiewicz, also a Bradley professor, purchased the West Bluff Word newspaper from the previous owner, Patricia Kenny. I asked to join the writing staff. When the paper debuted in September 1988, I wrote an essay appropriately titled …Beginnings…. The following month Serendipity was on page 17.
Dr. Fought had asked me my preference for the column’s name, and after careful consideration, I chose Serendipity. I liked the word’s sound and meaning. It fit well.
The Writer’s Almanac for Jan. 28, 2015, states, “The word serendipity was first coined in 1754.” Dictionary.com defines it as “an aptitude for making desirable discoveries by accident; good fortune, luck.” According to Merriam-Webster, it is “the faculty or phenomenon of finding valuable or agreeable things not sought for.”
In June 1989, a contest was announced to rename the West Bluff Word newspaper. The only requirement was that the name must end in Word or word. The name “should be broad enough to include the entire city, not merely one area alone, because the new Word will deal with neighborhood problems, issues, and concerns wherever they exist in Peoria….” The contest ended Aug. 1, and the September paper was the first issue bearing the new nameplate, Community Word.
When I began writing for the paper, my children were 14, 13, and 11, and I was seven months away from earning a Bachelor’s Degree. Today my children are all gainfully employed, independent, enjoyable adults who have added a daughter-in-law, two sons-in-law, and seven remarkable grandchildren to our family. Collectively they’ve provided me with many writing topics.
Having readers comment on a particular article they like, or how it relates to their lives, is very rewarding. The process of writing helps in sorting out thoughts, coming to terms with various circumstances, and gaining insights. Each of us has a story to tell, and I am grateful for the opportunity to share those stories, including my own. It’s a pleasure meeting and talking with others and telling their experiences. Ours is a shared commonality that happens when considering others’ contributions and challenges in life.
My passion for writing includes wanting to give readers of this monthly column a vehicle for creating awareness. We can learn from others, be entertained, inspired, motivated and realize change is an integral part of improving or enhancing what exists. We are a community that can become more involved through sharing knowledge and experiences. Discovering such motivation and insights defines Serendipity, and I feel honored to write the column.