When I first joined
my local writing chapter,
I didn’t know anyone.
The members had already formed
into cliques.
I didn’t really fit.
So I started the back row gang.
Whenever a new person joined
or I saw someone sitting alone,
I called out to her
to sit with ‘us’ in the back row.
Now, at meetings,
the back rows are full
and those newbies aren’t newbies anymore.
They’re published authors.
Some have written bestsellers.
That’s the thing about wallflowers.
They don’t stay wallflowers.
The woman who didn’t know anyone
yesterday
knows half the room tomorrow.
Be kind to wallflowers.
They’ll remember that kindness.
Lori Richardson has some more
wallflower stories.