Life is fragile

This week one of my neighbors and family friends lost their fourteen year old son in a tragic accident.  He was on a camp out with his church boy scout troop.  Like the other boys, he slept in sleeping bags and ate breakfast. He was new in the troop, just getting to know his troop-mates.  On that morning his family was at home unaware that in a few short hours he would go down a short zip line, not let go in time and be flung against a tree which would take his life. 

Life is fragile. Of this I'm sure. 

I'm equally as sure that Being the weak and utterly imperfect human beings that we are, we forget this. Caught up in the whirlwind of life and stuff, we take our days for granted. That's okay. So we're weak. We can compensate for that weakness. We can take the time to hold the people we love close whenever we have the chance. We can say we are sorry even when we hurt them on accident. Most of all, we can be our best so that when we are reminded that we don't have forever to make things right, we've have few regrets. 

Where am I going with this? I'm hoping that my aching heart and my words will give you the excuse you need to live today to the fullest. I'm hoping that if you have love in your life, you'll cherish it and if you don't, you'll find it or make it by helping others. I'm wishing for all of us to be more gently and less judgmental, that we'll embrace our differences and not waste energy on petty things that distract us from a fulfilling life. Most of all, I'm praying for my neighbors and the millions of others facing loss. One day, we'll face what they face, but until then I'm grateful for the reminder that life is terribly, terribly fragile and life is an imperfect yet sublimely beautiful gift.        

Why all authors should live on a island alone (but would write boring books in they did)

In the last couple of months, my blog posts have been pitifully sparse. 

Let me tell you why.

I am insane, that’s why.   
I thought I could take on selling my house, building a new house, preparing to publish a super-fun supernatural first book in a series (The Secret Keeper) and raising two teenagers and a tween. Oh yeah, and somewhere in there, I have to keep my marriage afloat.

If you looked up overloaded, overstimulated and just plain stretched in the dictionary, there would be a picture of me with a glazed expression in my eyes holding a piece of cardboard with the world HELP written on it. Ever have one of those seasons?  Well my craziness is in full bloom. Soooo….I decided that instead trying hide my temporary mania from you, I’m going to include you.  For the next few months, I’m going to take you on my journey with me. I’m going to tell you about the good, the bad and the ugly and at the end of the day in April when my book releases and my new house is complete and my old one sold, we can both breathe a sigh of relief.

Actually, I think it will be kind of fun. When I get back the manuscript from the editor, you’ll be right there with me. When I finally sell this @#$$$%^& house, feel free to revel in my victory, have an extra piece of chocolate or whatever gets your mojo going.   Expect reports two to three times a week.  I think I can do this and I hope you come along and enjoy watching my suffering and ultimately my survival.   Thanks for stopping in tonight. For tomorrow’s post, Eating Pizza at the park with Cats.  See you soon.