Allow me a few moments to introduce myself to you.
My name is Ryan. I have been writing and in love with writing for close to forty years. I remember spending hours in my room rewriting the lyrics for some of my favorite bands, primarily Metallica. The words evoked emotion and imagery. Listening to that music, delving into those lyrics – along with my hearty obsession with the Hardy Boys and Archie Comic books, compelled me to start to pull some of that emotion out of me and dump it out onto paper in the written word.
I remember specifically falling in love with writing poetry. I liked how you could have structure and pattern and rhythm or you could free flow. The path and the process were mine to choose to choose how to convey the feeling and imagery. This process has continued as I’ve made my way through life. Sometimes these poems are expressions of how I’m feeling. Sometimes they are my thoughts on events of the world. Sometimes they are nothing but fantastical and wordplay. Sometimes they are love. Sometimes they are fear. Sometimes they are hope. Oftentimes, they are necessary as it is far easier to write than it is to speak.
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed writing these poems, short stories, thoughts and essays. I truly believe that they hold value in this world.
I’ve waited a long time holding onto these writings and never sharing them with anyone. I believe that they deserve light and attention.
I’ve lived a life of experiences. I’ve worked jobs from retail to construction to IT to business operations. I enlisted in the US Army Infantry when I was 27 because I wanted to follow in the footsteps of my grandfathers who served this country in a time of war. I wanted to do it before I got too old and regretted not serving. It was by far the greatest, most profound and significant turning point of my life. I met people who I consider brothers. I learned what it was to push myself beyond what I thought was possible. I realized why they call it the service. You serve.
When I got out, I went to college, graduated and started to raise my children. I met the love of my life, Cindy, a few years ago and we’ve been married for one year. When we married our family grew significantly as we have seven children combined. I can point to certain points in my life as pivotal. Having four children. Enlisting in the Infantry. The passing of my Mother. Meeting and marrying Cindy. I thought that I knew what love, commitment and understanding were, but I did not. When we met and married it was when I realized I finally knew what love, commitment and understanding are. She has given me the encouragement and desire to be better, do more and strive. Although I tell her all the time how much I love and appreciate her, words can never convey the depth.
Through it all, I’ve continued to write.
So, now I’ve reached a point in my life where I want to compile these works. I want to let them breathe and let people read them. Although I’ve lived a rather full life and I’ve written a lot, I feel like I have just begun.
