1000 + Books to Read: Guest Post: Corinna Borden, Author of I Dreamt of Sausage

Being heard, Trekkie or not

1) A Star Trek convention. 2) A book about a young woman going through cancer treatment and choosing which voices in her head to listen to.

One of these things is not like the other. Or is it?

More than 15 years ago, I attended a Star Trek convention so I could purchase a “Star Fleet Academy” window sticker for my sister’s new car. I did not realize I was going to wander into a room of intimate sharing.

I thought the breakaway session, titled something like, “Star Trek in the Past,” would be about how Star Trek developed over the years. Just 19 years old, I tried to sneak into a seat near the door. The moderator calls out to me from the front of the room, “Is this your first one?”

My first what one?

“Sorry?”

“Is this your first convention?”

“Oh, yes.” Embarrassed by the attention, I slid into a back corner chair and tried to become inconspicuous.

The conversation quickly resumed -- a conversation that was not about Star Trek the show or Star Trek movies or Star Trek characters. The conversation was about Star Trek conventions.

More specifically, it was a chance for the people in the room to share memories, personal convention stories, talk about time when Fred was dressed as a Cardassian and we all went out to dinner in Philadelphia and got a free meal.

As I sat, somewhat embarrassed (after all, I was 19) yet somewhat spellbound, listening to these funny, sad, serious anecdotes from complete strangers sharing their convention tales -- a thought occurred to me. This was the only time that these people probably were able to share these stories with complete strangers and have someone totally GET what they were talking about. Everyone in the room knew without being told the humor behind having your Klingon forehead fall into your spaghetti, or doing a Vulcan goodbye and people thinking your were flipping them the bird -- the shared vocabulary was empowering and very nurturing for the 20 or
so people sitting in the room.

They were able to be honest about something that many people in the outside world may have thought was silly or unimportant. They were able to revel and feed a very integral part of their souls without concern for being laughed at or misunderstood. They were HEARD.

That is why I wrote my book with such honesty. I have been told by people from all over that they were shocked with how much I share about my innermost feelings and concerns as I went through cancer diagnosis and treatment.

I feel everyone on this planet has the same fears and hopes. Perhaps my small sharing will allow people to feel comfortable to share their own experiences. Perhaps we can then all bring the same fervor and excitement to exploring our inner voices as the people at the Star Trek convention spent on the Romulan language.

Because unlike a Star Trek convention, our inner voices are always a part of us, are always ripe to be witnessed and explored, are always there to be examined and teased. They can be a never-ending font of entertainment and diversion.