Monday, September 17, 2012

Rose, Reality, and Roads less traveled

Rose is the main character in Lady and the Sea

Life is what we are alive to.  It is not length but breadth ... be alive to ... goodness, kindness, purity, love, history, poetry, music, flowers, stars, the written word, God, and eternal hope.

I learned a lot about myself while writing about Lady and the Sea's main character, Rose (Rosie) Atkisson.  Go ahead, write a short story, choose a main character, and write away.  You'll soon discover many emotions, fears, dreams, and hopes that you have hidden deep inside of you.  I imagine the more you write, the harder it will be to put down your pen, or push yourself away from your laptop.  You'll be anxious to return the next day to find out where your character is going to take you.  Next door?  Down the street?  To the local cafe?  To another country?

With so much going on around us, here at home and around the world, life is not as dependable as it was in days of old.  I find myself longing for having just a day in the little two-bedroom house on Ibbetson Street with my mother, father, and brother ... had to share bedrooms, wait in line for the bathroom, stand over a floor heater in the mornings before heading out to school.  Okay, enough.  I admit that I have been a bit nostalgic lately.

I must keep this short, as I am finishing an essay that will be published on my author friend's Expat Chat blog.  Title?  "I Sailed the Seven Seas on a WWII ship and Lived to Tell About It"  Very true.  Read my novel, Lady and the Sea (based on my true story).

No matter where you are, what you are doing, take a moment to be thankful for the little things.  Call a family member who you haven't talked to in awhile (email and Facebook doesn't count!).  Hug a tree.  Kidding.  Hug a neighbor.

I wish you smooth sailing and oceans of blessings for the week ahead.



May our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who loved us and by His grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.  2 Thessalonians 2:16-27NIV



On life's journey, whether traveling around the world or walking around your block, there's lots to learn about life, faith, friendship and fun! so lets dive into a new ocean together ... and lets keep that body movin'!