By Susan Merry
Sitting in the Italian restaurant amid the clang and bustle of its lunch rush, it
struck an odd note with me?even above the cacophony. Here was a pastor
devouring my meager manuscript with more fervor than he did his now tepid
lasagna. Why would he have so much passion in encouraging me to get my
ten-year-old story published? He peered up at me over the last lines on the
page as he inquired, "Do you have more?"
This was my early introduction to Mike Simpson, whom I
knew as the Pastor of First Christian Church. Mike was a longtime friend of the
Shepherd's Center, whose mission is successful aging. And, as it would
turn out, he was also the Editor/Owner of Second Wind Publishing, a Winston
Salem book press. Yep, you guessed it ? Second Wind and second half of life
are no accident. One of Mikes passions is publishing the older writer.
For several years, we worked together to produce the Shepherds Centers
lifelong learning program for older adults in the county, Adventures in
Learning. Mike provided local authors for the program, spoke on Writing for
Publication, offered his church for a venue and the church bus for trips. He was
a joy to work, with given our mutual desire to
engage and enrich older adults.
One day, Mike discovered he was very
sick. He had been diagnosed with cancer,
eventually undergoing several surgeries. He
was lucky to be a pastor, 1 thought. Mikes
congregation and indeed just about everyone
who knew Mike, which is no small number,
grew solemn and began their versions of
praying for him and sending him positivity. It
seemed to bring healing to him in more ways
than the obvious. By that I mean, Mike's very
much alive and on the planet in full force
today. This is not his obituary. Moreover,
Mikes not the same guy today, as he was
when first I met him.
Two years after his surgeries, Mike once
again found himself at the mic at Adventures in Learning. 1 asked him to talk
about the personal side of Mike Simpson. His eyes sparkled with that same
excited energy they had when he peeked out at me over my manuscript in that
noisy restaurant and asked me if I had more stories.
Mike Simpson leads discussion
Creativity is not benign, he warns.
It must be expressed.
Write, if you are a writer.
Sing if you are a singer.
Dance, if you are a dancer. yy
This is your calling. This is your joy.
Mike Simpson
Mike, you see, is now a pastor-turned
publisher. He speaks to participants about
following your passions; listening to your inner
muse; getting in touch with what truly inspires
you and embracing that. He embodies what
he's saying, and his audience is attuned. If you
have stories in you, he says, get them out there.
Creativity is not benign, he warns. It must be
expressed. Write, if you are a writer. Sing, if you
are a singer. Dance, if you are a dancer. This is
your calling. This is your joy. This is your inner
sonar/radar/guidance system. Listen to your
muse!
Remembering back to that presentation
at Adventures in Learning, I smiled at his
charisma as the audience clapped for him. Still,
I thought to myself, this is more than a talk
about following your inner muse. This is about
personal transformation. Someone has had an epiphany!
Susan Meny is the Senior Center Program Director for the Shepherd's Center of
Greater Winston-Salem.