What makes you happy?
This grey weather makes me introspective. So many danged things rolling around in my brain. I dread the upcoming political races. I like my friends right now and am not looking forward to being exposed to all of the garbage that’s about to come. Since I want y’all to continue liking me, I’ll just keep my mouth shut.
It’s interesting, growing up as a pastor’s daughter, that was one of those things w
e kept quiet. Our political beliefs were never made public because Dad’s role was one of a healer / mediator rather than someone who drove a wedge into relationships. Oh, there were plenty of political debates and discussions within the four walls of the parsonage, but just like most other things that didn’t need to be aired in public, those walls were a barrier to not only keep us safe, but that level of privacy also ensured that relationships on the outside could remain healthy. I still believe that is important, even if privacy has become a less-than-valued commodity these days.
Even through all of this, I am so grateful for meeting new friends online and finding family and old friends in ways I never imagined.
What makes you happy?
January is one of those months that makes me introspective. Looking back to the past and ahead to the future happens every single year. It feels as if that introspection happens faster every single year. My goodness, but the year turns more quickly as I get older. Thankfully, I find that good memories live longer in my mind and heart than bad memories do. In fact, if you were to ask me to tell you about the bad things that happened last year, I’d have difficulty bringing them to the forefront of my mind.
Good memories? Oh my. My brother’s family grew in amazing ways. Two weddings and a brand new baby. It is such a joy to see those kids that I have loved for a long time grow into themselves. The years passed quickly and sometimes I find myself stuck in their childhoods, but they make me happy.
Kittens and cats. Day and night these little furballs entertain me and love me. I grew up with dogs and learned what it meant to care for someone else because of them. It’s quite a change to have felines in the house, but they’re wonderful. Every single day. Every day. That’s almost too much happy for one girl.
What makes you happy?
This life is something I could never have imagined. I tell stories that live inside my head. I am independent of employers, though if I think about it, I laugh a little at the fact that my readers are probably more tyrannical than anyone I ever worked for! I have met the most amazing people and am able to spend time interacting with folks that make me laugh and teach me about how life is lived outside of my own little world.
There are still so many stories to tell. Do you realize that imagination is like a dish that never empties? Like love, the more you use, the more you create. When I am at my most creative, my brain overflows with ideas and I can barely stem the flow long enough to get words written.
What makes you happy?
My family has always put great emphasis on learning and education. My father was a huge educational snob. It often annoyed me, but he couldn’t help himself. The thing about learning is that it isn’t always about books, professors, and grades.
This journey began for me when I finally took the time to get my Master’s Degree. The idea of never working for another person appealed to me so much that a year before I finished the program, I knew that I had to find a way to make that happen. Then it hit me – if I could finally make me dream of writing novels come true, the world changed for me.
Learning continues to be important – I’ll never stop. Whether I’m learning to quilt, reading and learning about how words, grammar and the English language works so my stories are more easily read, researching ideas that come up for a story line or learning how to manipulate images in Photoshop, I never want to stop.
What makes you happy?
On grey January days when it feels as if the sun may never shine again, I look for it inside my own heart. Life has so much ahead, it seems ridiculous to focus on the grey.
