Imposter Anthology?

When a word has multiple meanings, is right and wrong found in the context or in the definition?

I was schooled once by someone who thought they knew better than me what Anthology meant in poetry. That was the day I will never forget due to the series of events that happened in succession to my undeliverable response. I believe the universe intervened that day and I was left to see that it didn't really matter because words mean different things in this technology driven world to different people at any given time in space.

However, I was advised that my book of poetry was in fact "not" an anthology and that I pretty much should not consider myself a writer of poetry for being so unschooled.

Most recognized definitions on the interwebs appears to be the following:

*A written anthology is a published collection of works, such as essays, short fiction, nonfiction, poems, or other writings, *including music.

*An anthology is a collection of literary pieces by various different authors.

It can sometimes refer to the collected output of a single author (for instance, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare), but it generally refers to a compilation presenting many different writers.

I guess the question that came out of that day was "Am I an imposter?" Am I an imposter to the stories? Am I an imposter writer? Am I fraud in the versions of me that have come and gone in the writing of events? I feel like an imposter in my life but mostly when I am complimented or recognized for just participating in life.

I feel like an imposter right now as I type these words, because who am I to have a collection of thoughts, feelings, and life experiences that I experienced at different times throughout my spins on this planet. Who am I to win at this game of life when there is so much suffering in this world? Mine are no different in definition, I guess only in meaning?

How is one's life not an anthology? How are love experiences not an anthology? We do not write our stories alone; we write them from the feelings of each experience with another human. Our story is only one of perception and perspective. These two alone are an anthology, collectively speaking of course.

I was told once that I have imposter syndrome because I have all the symptoms. I was told I just didn't see the signs. That hit me as hard as being told I would be no good as a writer because I interpreted a word differently than another. Which narrative is one to believe? Maybe the truth lies somewhere in the middle of the two.

In truth, I'm only an imposter with you. If I share my truth, it will include other people's stories too and some have secrets that aren't mine to tell. Is an anthology written by more than just me? I do believe it was written in the divine interactions with all of you.

There again, where is my truth? I am only an imposter if I am not authentic in being true to myself and/or with you.

The truth is, in the end it's up to you to decide. I can't write my story without you or all of the versions of me.

Is Life and Love an anthology?

Love, Light and Anthologies

"Anthology: By Life & Love" can be found in the "Collective Connections" Collection