Is there ever enough of it? It seems our lives fairly leap from one moment to the next, barely allowing the time to savor the moment, sometimes even “taste” it! Parenthood, careers, schedules, social lives, volunteer work—it wraps us up so tight sometimes that we long to stand alone on a mountaintop and scream to release the stress! (Okay, that may be “my” vision and yours may be different.)
REALITY ALERT: (not for the faint of heart)
But in reality, I have to ask myself would I want it any other way? Here is a glimpse of my past week—Deadline of a novella, football game (away) Band contest (45 minutes drive each way) -parent-sponsored/served lunch, transporting grandmas to and from contest parade and field contest-sitting all afternoon waiting for your band to perform, drive home, launder kids clothes, pack to leave Sunday morning-them going to a two day choral festival, us to see oldest son on opposite side of the state. Pick up another son next day, and transport him back home to participate in a football game-where we sat most of the game watching him play in the pouring rain. (They won, that made it all worthwhile) Pick up other child who stayed for evening choral performance at around 1 A.M. form the school. Stave off severe colds for both sons so they can participate in State vocal auditions. Band marching contests each weekend in October, two football games per week. Early morning band/Show choir/All State rehearsals—after school Football/All-State/band lessons….oh and homework and youth group.
Get new editor (mild shock) meet friend for dinner (postponed to Thursday lunch as she missed her plane) prepare family and myself for my business trip Friday –Monday. Drive to St Louis and back on Monday—still have deadline and we pretty much start most of the above all over again…
Now I am positive many of you could rival that few short days without batting an eye. It’s the world we live in, isn’t it? But it surely makes those moments—seeing your kids joking and laughing with each other, having your oldest son and his friends around a table enjoying a meal together, the beauty of a sunset from the deck of a good friend’s house—even more special.
Amid the chaos of days like I’ve listed above, those moments are mixed in, sometimes barely detected if we aren't looking. Often times, when it’s least expected and I am reminded of one of my favorite movie scenes from the flick,
Parenthood (Universal 1989) with Steve Martin and Mary Anne Steenbergen. This scene follows a myriad of confusion and chaos within the household and there is tension between the husband (Martin) and his wife (Steenbergen).
To me it exemplifies how one can choose to view whether the “grass is truly greener on the other side of the fence”-as it were…
Grandma: "You know, when I was nineteen, Grandpa took me on a roller coaster."
Gil: "Oh?"
Grandma: "Up, down, up, down. Oh, what a ride!"
Gil: "What a great story "
Grandma: "I always wanted to go again. You know, it was just so interesting to me that a ride could make me so frightened, so scared, so sick, so excited, and so thrilled all together! Some didn't like it. They went on the merry-go-round. That just goes around. Nothing. I like the roller coaster. You get more out of it."
What a wonderful POV and its one I hold dear, because in truth, would I want my life any other way? Nope, I just hang on and enjoy the ride!
A wild ride!
Diary of Cozette (Harlequin Spice-Books) continues to do well and I am beyond thrilled! I received the cover art for my next SPICE book
TORTURED (a medieval set in the Dark Ages! August 2009)
Until next time! Enjoy the ride!!
Amanda McIntyre Wicked Historical ~Sexy Contemporary
MIRROR, MIRROR September/08
DIARY OF COZETTE October /08 / SPICE-Books Pre-order!
THE BOY'S CLUB Oct/eHarlequin FREE read
"An intoxicating read! I couldn't put it down!"~ Renee Bernard,
USA Today Bestselling Author
"Beguiling! 4 stars!"
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www.thefaerycourt.com/Labels: Amanda McIntyre, Medieval, Spice, writer
Not very often, thankfully, life tosses in a time of great challenge to you on many levels. I am sure that many of you are nodding your head in agreement. Such has been the case in my real life this past few weeks. My mind is only just today slowing down from the whir to be able to grasp something as "normal" as writing this blog. But in the greater picture of life, it is also these moments of great challenge that can provide a clearer perspective on your life. Maybe get you to slow down a bit, or reassess your time and goals, maybe organize things a bit better to make life less stressful. There is no way of finding the magic cure-all for such moments in life--they are going to happen and it is in how I handle these times, what blessings I find, or lesson I learn, that will make the difference.
Interestingly--and perhaps it touches a part of me that has before experienced these moments--it is why I like to write about heroes and heroines, who for the most part (depending on the era) may have ordinary lives that are similar to yours or mine. Granted , we may not be experiencing firsthand ,what they are experiencing in the story, but perhaps there is a scene or a thought that the character has that you might find a kinship to. I enjoy reading about characters who seem ordinary, until something prompts them (internally or externally ) to step out of the ordinary and deal with life in an extraordinary way. The everyday hero/heroine--who may not wear a cape, who may not be totally alpha male or female, but--who when faced with a challenge or obstacle--suddenly becomes the designer of their own fate.
