Being Me–Beliefs, Blessings & Blunders

If we choose to remain ourselves, full of potential, then we can take whatever happens and redeem it by openness, courage, and willingness to move on… (Madeline L’Engle)

I am Susan Ellen Myers Ideus, a 60-something woman, married, and living in Las Cruces, New Mexico. We have two lovely adult daughters, Becca and Johanna, and one wonderful son-in-law, Nathan Taylor (Becca’s hubby), all of whom light up our days. In our immediate household, besides hubby & I, we include our Cairn Terrier (the “terror”), Sir Ryan MacDuff of Alvin, otherwise known as Duffy (think Toto in The Wizard of Oz).

In my life, I have been daughter, sister, wife, mother, friend,employee, student.  I was born in Indiana, which I am sure is a fine state for all loyal Hoosiers; I have lived in Missouri and Texas, but the place of my spiritual birth and home of my heart is New Mexico, where I have spent most of my life.

Most of my working life, I was involved in retail, starting in my teens as a Christmas gift wrap person, working my way to management and buying.  I loved the interaction with customers, loved my staffs, and thoroughly enjoyed the traveling and the markets, and spending someone else’s money.  Retail was a good place to use my psych degree, people skills, you know.

For a number of years, my husband and I were involved in Christian Camping at Sacramento Methodist Assembly, located in the beautiful Sacramento Mountains of Southern New Mexico.

After that, I worked in the accounting/customer service office of a Houston air conditioning company, still able to use those people skills.

I have a degree in Psychology from the University of New Mexico–go Lobos!! Graduated from Highland High School–Class of 1965–in Albuquerque. Though we’ve moved around a lot (there’s a book in there somewhere, I’m sure), my heart and soul will always be pulled back to the Land of Enchantment–the sublime sunrises and fiery sunsets over the desert, the moonrise over the mountains, the red rocks and waterfalls of the Jemez and the peaks of the Pecos wilderness. We hope to return when we retire.

The serious part of my life is writing, and someday will be my day job.  I thought I would tell you that writing is one of my favorite pastimes and that is why I am here, but, that doesn’t begin to say it all. My writing is an extension of me — who I am, who I was, and who I hope to become. It is beginnings and endings and all the times in between. In writing, I dream, I remember, I plan, I journal, I create. It is in writing that I find and express the deepest parts of Susan. I look for the child I was and the wise old woman I will become. I express joy, grief, pain, longing, humor, possibilities, anger, forgiveness, faith, serenity, and feelings I have yet to unearth. I chronicle my life’s journey and those who go with me.

Second to writing as a passion is reading.  Both passions are indulged in Story Circle Network.  I facilitate an online writing circle where I am privileged to interact with the sisters of my heart. I serve as one of the co-editors for Story Circle Book Reviews.  I love “sleuthing” the Internet for good books! Guilty pleasure legitimized. Recently, I became a member of the Board of Directors of SCN. It’s such a great organization for women who want to write, and to have their writing enhanced by strong reading experiences.

As a woman, wife and mom, I’m concerned about the state of our society and our world.  I know something must be done about energy sources, health care issues, the environment, genocide and all kinds of injustice.  It was Dr. M.L. King Jr who said : “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”  I get angry when these vital concern are bandied about like political footballs by our elected officials.  Elected, I might add, to represent their constituents, but I think no one is listening.  Maybe it’s time to get louder…

I am a Christian by grace and a United Methodist by choice.  I have no doubt that there is a Creator.  Just look around.  I believe in miracles and I believe they happen all around us every day.  One of my goals is to be more cognizant of them. I believe in and am sustained by friendships, truly gifts of grace. I seek to be more attentive to them.

So that’s who I am.  Glad to meet you!