The last couple of months have just flown by for me with one trip after another and the constant running here and there for my kids. With the start of school, I hoped for quiet time to write and edit. Though I have had more time for these tasks, I still find myself running. My daughter just had braces put on yesterday, so we had a couple extra appointments to get to. Girl Scouts is starting for the year. This adds a treat schedule and study on my part as I am taking a more active role in leading. Finally, football dominates with games on Friday, Quarterback Club on Tuesday, and food to be made for the tailgate barbecue each home pregame. Oh, and I also have Cursillo meetings and soon more work for this activity. But with all this going on, I am forever reading with amazing ideas that I have wanted to share with you.
One book I have wanted to talk about I read in early June. For going away gifts for my boys, a friend gave them The Traveler’s Gift by Andy Andrews. One of the books sat on the table for a couple of days until I decided to read it before the oldest left. What a delightful story. I recommend it for people who want to grow. The protagonist journeys through different experiences in history. The people he meets give him the seven decisions for success. I would love to discuss these decisions with you, but you really need to buy the book and discover them for yourself. Having the desire to sell my writing, I have to support my fellow writers, so go buy the book. Both boys read the book and recommend it as well.
There are some quotes that struck a chord that I would like to share. When asked if Christopher Columbus was bothered by being the only one to believe the world is round he stated, “…that bothers me not in the least. Truth is truth. If a thousand people believed something foolish, it is still foolish! Truth is never dependent upon consensus of opinion. I have found that it is better to be alone and acting upon the truth in my heart than to follow a gaggle of silly geese doomed to mediocrity” page 80.
I so love this attitude. I couldn’t have written it better. I see thousands of people following the secular trends of our time buying into the fashion industry, “keeping up with the Jones,” and the list could go on for pages. Follow silly geese, I think not. I believe in God, marriage, discipline, independence, patriotism, and hard work. Yes, standing alone can be extremely lonely, but at the end of the day I can still look myself in the mirror and know I am living the life God wants for me. Do I sin and crash and burn at times? Definitely! But I am not a goose.
My children are not geese either. Where many young adults are seeking to find themselves, my boys know they are children of God and soldiers to boot. I could go more into how they don’t follow the crowd, but the examples are more personal in nature and not mine to tell. My daughter is learning not to be a goose. This last year the girls in her class campaigned against boys as is typical to this age group. Madelle stood her ground and defended all boys of the world using the argument that she loved her brothers and dad; thus, boys are good. Standing up for ones beliefs can be very hard, hurtful, and lonely, but my children have that strength of spirit.
“Truth is never dependent upon consensus of opinion.” I very much need to look at this as I tread the waters of my writing goals. Columbus conquered the untruth of what people said in his day about the world. I have to overcome the lack of enthusiasm that will surely hit once I start turning my writing into agents and editors. I will get a lot of rejections that will include my inner critic (I named him Larry). Yet, those geese will have to step aside because I know the truth of my writing. Granted, my work may never be published in the traditional manner, but to listen to the denial of my work would be foolish. I am called to follow my heart and God’s voice through the written word. That is my truth.
Are you a goose? I hope not. They chase people trying to snap at them. Frankly, they scare me.
Blessings to you all.
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