As I thought about this post, I tried to think of something I could share that would be useful to you, dear readers, while also capturing some of the changes going on in my life now. A post that connected the dots in a meaningful way. But, the truth is...the dots are still being dotted down, and most of what I'm going through--in sending my eldest off to college, helping my daughter through a life-impacting illness, prepping our family for a move--is still too close and present for me to be able to draw insightful conclusions.
However I am reminded that this--all of this--equals change and that equals emotions. Feelings. Such a small word to sum up the bittersweet of a son that's moving on, of saying goodbye to my gorgeous woods and trees--
--yet excitement for the opportunities and experiences to come. I wish I could bottle up each of these emotions, store them in little glass vials, and pull them out to take a quick sniff the next time I'm trying to convey powerful feelings in my writing. The next best thing is to take time to notice the impact of these changes, and to embrace the experiences of each day. It's there that the most powerful changes occur, for me as well as my characters. I'm grateful, in my chaos, to be alive and growing!
What are your stories of change? Of those formative moments when you can feel the course of your life tilting, shifting, and careening off in a new direction? Author David Zeltser discusses a life-altering event that led to his becoming an author on My Brain on Books, where Joanne is also giving away a free copy of his middle grade novel Lug, Dawn of the Ice Age. But, don't stop by as I'm hoping to win it. ;)
Ha ha, Suzanne! Afraid of your chances if more people enter?
ReplyDeleteSounds like you've got a lot going on in your life right now, and I hope you find the serenity to handle all of it. Thanks for the shout-out. David's story is truly touching, isn't it? I didn't get serious about writing until I recuperated from a very serious illness. Milestones like that tend to make you sit back and look at your life and say, "Am I doing what I'm meant to be doing?"