“The road to success is always under construction.” ~ Lily Tomlin
I’ve always felt there is a “path” that I am destined to follow in my life and if I just found that path and stayed on it, life would be bright and I would always know my direction. Several years ago when I committed to being a full-time professional writer, I knew I had finally set foot on the right road.
The campfire crackles and spits sparks into the black night sky and I watch as the tiny orange dots float up, up, toward the silvery moon and stars, like little fireflies lilting and meandering and then silently disappearing in the distance. Not more than 15 feet away in the pitch darkness of the woods, the shallow river continues to course along, never stopping its constant chatter as it splashes and bubbles over rocks and pebbles. Continue Reading…
“Friendship is a sheltering tree.” ~Samuel Taylor Coleridge
I’m participating in a month-long blogging challenge called Reverb10 during which I am posting a response to a writing prompt from 31 different authors. The goal of the exercise is to reflect on 2010 and set goals for 2011. Today’s prompt – Friendship. How has a friend changed you or your perspective on the world this year? Was this change gradual, or a sudden burst?
Just the other day I was lying in bed thinking about my wonderful friends and how lucky I am to have them. Most of them are the sort of friends who I could call in the middle of the night if I needed help and they would be there for me. I highly doubt I would ever do that, but it is nice to think that you have people who would come to you in a flash. Continue Reading…
“God gave us memory so that we might have roses in December.” ~ James Matthew Barrie, creator of Peter Pan
I’m participating in a month-long blogging challenge called Reverb10 during which I am posting a response to a writing prompt from 31 different authors. The goal of the exercise is to reflect on 2010 and set goals for 2011. Unfortunately, I didn’t learn about the Reverb 10 until yesterday, so I’ve missed half the month. People who know me already know I tend to run late for nearly everything, so my mid-month entry into the exercise is apropos.
Anyway, today’s Prompt is from Patti Digh:
“5 minutes. Imagine you will completely lose your memory of 2010 in five minutes. Set an alarm for five minutes and capture the things you most want to remember about 2010.”
I admit my memory has gotten foggier the older I get. In high school, I could remember every glance, word, sneer, kiss, insult and outfit I wore, and I carried them all front and center in my brain. Today I wonder where the car keys are, whether I locked the front door before I went to bed, and what the sugar bowl is doing in the microwave (yes, that really happened). Continue Reading…
One of my favorite movies is the 1946 holiday classic “It’s a Wonderful Life.” The movie centers on George Bailey, a kind man who has always been there to help others, but has grown more and more frustrated as his own life dreams and goals are constantly being set aside. One day, his business loses all of its money, through no fault of his own, and George breaks down and and considers suicide. That’s when his guardian angel Clarence Odbody appears to show George what life on earth would be like if he had never been born.
We watch as George learns the alternate fate of everyone whom his life had touched. It’s not a pretty picture and eventually George discovers how blessed and fulfilled his life really has been. He discovers gratitude for everything he has. Continue Reading…
“Success means having the courage, the determination, and the will be become the person you believe you were meant to be.” George Sheehan
Success… Is it a place we arrive at, or is it made up of all the things we learn during our journey?
Is it a hard race to the finish line, or is it being able to smell the flowers along the way?
Does it mean working to acquire a lot of money and things, or does it mean having more leisure time to enjoy life?
I thought about that question the other day after someone asked me if I felt like I had “arrived” in my work and creative endeavors. I wondered…were they referring to monetary income, or professional satisfaction, or simply a sense of personal happiness in knowing I’m doing what I enjoy?
Success is one of those hard-to-pinpoint concepts, differing ever so slightly from person to person. All you need to do is Google “success” and you’ll find quotes that vary as wildly as the authors themselves. Continue Reading…
You’re only here for a short visit. Don’t hurry, don’t worry, and stop to smell the flowers along the way.” ~Walter Hagen
This past summer I was puttering around in my garden – pulling weeds, snipping off spent blossoms, digging holes. There’s nothing like a fistful of dirt to make you appreciate the simple gifts of the earth. As the lazy afternoon passed, I began to think of some of the simple lessons of life that are found in a garden. Here are a few that came to mind. Continue Reading…
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