Superhero - To the Rescue!
by Charlotte Bennardo
The theme is superpowers- what do we think ours happen to be, or which would we want, or what makes us feel powerful and accomplished.
My superpower is resolution. If anyone in my family has a problem, I will help until there is no more problem, especially if it's for my children (mama bear extreme). If I hit a wall writing, I'll give the weeds in my gardens hell until I figure out a resolution. When I have a problem, I will brainstorm, talk to those who I think are in the best position to help me, and work at the problem until I find the solution. (When I figure out how to quickly and easily get the perfect agent, I'll share the secret.)
Now if you ask me what superpower I'd like to have, that I'd have to mull over. I wouldn't want to hear everyone's thoughts because I'll either hear something about me that they wouldn't have shared to save my feelings, or I'd hear something that is too private. I wouldn't want to be invisible- why? I've long since giving up caring about solving complex math problems, I leave that to my sons. Time travel is out because I'd be tempted to go back and change decisions which might only makes things worse, like in the new Spiderman movie when Peter Parker/Spiderman tries to save his mother and all hell breaks loose. I'd also be tempted to go forward to sneak a peek to see how something plays out (book contract? lottery win? untimely death?). That might lead me to make a different decision than what my gut tells me and again, creating a worse situation. I don't believe in fate, but actions have consequences and maybe my initial reaction was the intuitive best. I guess if I had to choose one superpower, it would be luck (if you've seen my medical history, you know I don't lead a charmed life). I might wonder if luck was responsible for book contracts and sales and fame and fortune, but I can live without knowing whether it was my stellar talent or just luck because I'd get what I want.
What makes me feel powerful and accomplished is completion; getting my Master's degree, finishing a book draft or revision, seeing my children grown into fine, self-sufficient adults, growing a ton of flowers and tomatoes in my garden. At the end of my life, I'd like to be able to look back and see my list to "To Do" for professional, personal, and community goals with nothing but crossed out items.
Charlotte writes MG, YA, NA, and adult novels in sci fi, fantasy, contemporary, and paranormal genres. She is the author of the award-winning middle grade Evolution Revolution trilogy, Simple Machines, Simple Plans, and Simple Lessons. She co-authored the YA novels Blonde OPS, Sirenz, and Sirenz Back in Fashion. She has two short stories in the Beware the Little White Rabbit (Alice through the Wormhole) and Scare Me to Sleep (Faces in the Wood) anthologies. Having finished her MFA, she's applying what she learned and is working on several children and adult novels, along with some short stories. She lives in NJ with her family and her floofy cat. When they trimmed the backyard tree, the crazy squirrel couple had to move out.
That is SO true! That's exactly how a completed job feels--powerful.
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