Maikel Wise, worked in the tech industry but always enjoyed expressing himself through writing. In his youth he enjoyed writing poetry, short stories and news articles. During the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Wise secluded himself from others in order to avoid getting sick but was faced with a new challenge; finding something to do. He turned to writing and in the process discovered a way to grieve for his mother.
Wise had never embarked on writing a book before but wanted the experience. He began by finding a topic. He had always heard you should write what you know but he didn’t think technology or ornithology would be very interesting. Digging deeper, he recalled the last two weeks of his mother’s life.
“One Beer Daisy” follows the journey Wise and his sister took while caring for their mother in the last two weeks of her life. While caring for their mother, they were also preparing to sell her house. As the brother and sister duo sifted through their mother’s things, they discovered memories from their youth they had not confronted for many years.
“I never realized the pain, anger and grief I carried with me. I carried it for 13 years,” Wise said.
The journey was not without its good points, Wise said. They were able to learn more about their mother that they did not know growing up which provided a new perspective they had not considered, he said.
Wise grew up in a single parent household. His mother was a resourceful yet non-traditional woman who showed her children resilience. She was also known to sacrifice for others, especially for her kids, he said.
As a single parent, Wise’s mother did not have much money, however, she often gave food and help to others in her community. A trait, Wise said, he inherited.
While writing the story, Wise connected with extended family and members of the community to learn more about his mother. There were many stories he had never heard before and many that provided a different perspective than he remembered.
“When you start writing you remember things a certain way but as I emailed and talked to people from her life I got a new perspective. I didn’t always know what story was right,” Wise said.
As Wise wrote the story, he said he was able to heal and process his grief. The process was so helpful that he has suggested that others take on the process even if they do not publish a book as he did.
“One Beer Daisy” is a self published book that can be found on Amazon. It was published in July 2023.
