"Mom Conquers Volcano" by Wendy A. Miller
– an eruption of inner strength
Across 40 years, a childhood experience and an opportunity with new friends are forged into appreciation and gratitude.
Wendy A. Miller lives in the suburbs of Portland, Oregon, with her family. She is a member of a writer’s group that she connected with through an online class at Stanford University. Her work appeared in Adelaide Literary Magazine, Quail Bell Magazine, and Grown and Flown, where her essay was ranked number 14 in their best posts of 2020. When she is not writing or climbing volcanoes, you can find her on the fairways. View her website at www.wendyamiller.com.
Authors Talk
Wendy A. Miller
wendyamiller.com
In the days that followed our Mt. St. Helens adventure, the seven of us “Summit Sisters” laughed about how we told random strangers—grocery store cashiers, servers in restaurants, and the mail carrier—of our accomplishment. I even showed pictures from my phone of our climb to a woman who sat next to me on an airplane as we flew over the volcano on our way into Portland from Las Vegas. The adrenaline rush of doing something none of us had done before empowered and lingered with us.
A few months after our trek, a doctor diagnosed me with breast cancer. I remember telling the doctor when she broke the news to me, “I can’t have cancer. I just climbed Mt. St. Helens!” She responded something like, “In life, there are different mountains to climb.” My volcano achievement helped me acquire the fortitude to take on this new challenge.
We stitch our lives with threads of memories. When bound, mine make a blanket. From time to time, I like to pull my joy quilt around me and snuggle in its coziness, remembering the friends who helped sew it. My Summit Sisters have their own unique quilts. Some have found different passions. Others have experienced more daring feats. We have welcomed new Sisters. Sometimes, we split into pods to conquer new trails. Other times, we are a large herd. It all began with my friend Melanie saying, “Hey, let’s climb Mt. St. Helens.” And seven of us did.
I am grateful to the 2021 Personal Publishing Project for including “Mom Conquers Volcano” in the anthology. I feel honored. To my Summit Sisters: thank you for encouraging me to find my inner strength. We will always have this shared memory. To the readers: climb your mountains.
