Best and Worst: Balance the Serious.

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, … it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to heaven, we were all going direct the other way…” Dickens.

Sometimes literary quotes become such a part of our reality that they’re almost like a sound loop. “It was the best of times….” is one of mine.  Each day dawns and we label the events that happen good news or bad news. In younger years, it felt dramatic and personal–and the emotional up-and-down was totally out of control, like being drug behind a truck.

But even the most horrific moment can’t hold still for long. The trick is to not get stuck in the past–in a good or bad moment. But we do–it’s hard to let go of trauma or joy. Psychologists say that memories are the events colored most by emotion. We don’t remember average days, but rather emotional peaks. Our memory landscapes are the very best and worst moments standing side by side, jerking our emotions back and forth.

It’s why I write non-fiction–nothing will ever be as interesting to me as real life.  Each moment that seems impossible to survive… passes and gives way to an unexpected opportunity. Isn’t that jump-and-twist maneuver endlessly fascinating?

The only constant is change and the sooner we let the hard-time thundercloud blow over us, (because resistance is futile,) the sooner a fresh breeze will come. It isn’t personal; it’s just life giving us a choice to re-define ourselves–a concept easier to embrace some days than others.

For those of us keeping score: Week 11 since the publisher search began and this week I got a rejection from the only nibble I had left.  Again, it was a kind, personal note from the person who was advocating for me, but other editors thought it was a bad match for their press. Most publishers are genre-motivated, (Young Adult or Romance or Fantasy) and memoir isn’t high on the best-selling list. They have to think about the bottom line. Yes, I knew all that before I started. *wandering aimlessly adrift*

At the same time, my Relaxed and Forward blog post went viral. It was a parable entitled Tips for the Fat Rider. In my world, viral means 30,000 hits in 3 days. Absolutely awesome! Writing this blog has always been such an inspiration for me over the years. The comments the readers post are so heartfelt and there’s wild power in each person’s words. *jetting high and fast*

The best of times and the worst of times: don’t take it too seriously. We’re in this for the long ride.