It became evident early on in my career that I worked with a disproportionate number of writers who suffered from addiction and depression. Coincidence?
Now, when I hear of someone struggling with these issues, I want to run. It wasn’t always that way. I used to be upfront and center. Now, the drowning man terrifies me.
I’m sure you’ve seen me. The girl who stands with her back to the subway wall. I no longer peer into the track. The third rail is always there, magnetic and menacing. But like a child who’s come too close to the stove, I’ve learned not to touch it. And eventually stopped craving it.
Sunday is my birthday and I will celebrate seventeen years of being well, my manic depression miraculously under control thanks to my brilliant doctor, my own vigilance and pure good fortune that medication works for me. Certainly not true for everyone.
And yes, I am dropping a hint that Sunday is the big 49. That’s Sunday, August 9th. I share this great birth date with Alfred Hitchcock and Philip Larkin, and the anniversary of Richard Nixon’s resignation and Sharon Tate’s murder.
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Betsy Lerner 
Congratulations! 20 years is a fantastic acheivement. I will mark Sunday down in my diary and start thinking about presents.
How interesting you should title your entry Mind the Gap! Does it have anything to do with the book that’s coming out soon titled Mind the Gap? I forget who it’s by but it’s about minding the gap between our mind and our hearts and seems like it would be a cool read.
First of all, congratulations on 17! Impressive. You and I have a lot in common, actually, so I know whereof I speak.
How odd that you should post this today. I was just getting ready to re-query you based on the fact that my query letter is now stellar. I’ll go ahead and not do that now.
To use a lot of alliteration, serendipity sometimes sucks. 🙂
(whew! just in the nick of time)
I re-read this post and I think I misunderstood it the first time.
Please ignore all but the opening paragraph.
“Now, when I hear of someone struggling with these issues, I want to run. It wasn’t always that way. I used to be upfront and center. Now, the drowning man terrifies me.”
I have to wonder how much of this has to do with someone who once said they were lucky enough to have found Erin in the Ms. magazine intern pool.
Happy birthday and thanks for the reminder that the well lived life is sweet.
Happy birthday, B. It’s always good to have you one year ahead of me, scouting about.
And congratulations on 17 healthy years.
Thanks for being my all-time favorite agent.
Happy Birthday Betsy.
“…number of writers who suffered from addiction and depression…”
If widely circulated, this observation could decimate research funding.