The Moment

There's nothing quite like it; those uforgettable moments in life that resonate through the years. They tickle your spine and dance within with walls of your heart. Oprah calls them "Ah-Ha Moments", mine are usually lessons which almost always emerge after doing the exact opposite of what my inner voice advises.

A while back, I posted about entering a writing contest, hosted by Smith Magazine. The contest was simple: Share a story of how a single moment changed my life in a profound way. It could be a split-second decision, something I witnessed, a message sent or received, a literal or mental discovery. It could be serious or silly, as short as a tweet, as long as 750 words, told via a single image or illustration, series of photos, or a scanned letter or post-it note. Done!

I didn't have to think about my Moment: what made me walk away from stripping.

Fast forward one year, and I am thrilled to share my essay has been chosen to stand along side other writers like myself (obscure) and an impressive list of well-known talent (famous) in Larry Smith's latest book, The Moment: Wild, Poignant, Life-Changing Stories from 125 Writers and Artists Famous & Obscure.

The results are triumphant, outrageous, heartwarming, heartbreaking, embarrassing, illuminating, and inspiring—life-changing moments from contributors Dave Eggers (Away We Go, Where the Wild Things Are), Diane Ackerman, Melissa Etheridge, Elizabeth Gilbert (Eat, Pray, Love), Bill Ayers, Jennifer Egan, A. J. Jacobs, Judy Collins, and.... me, a retired stripper, recovering addict and aspiring writer from Waikiki. Pole to Soul, baby. Pole to Soul.