My Mission Statement

I write to serve, to unite, to educate. I write to share literature and flesh out ideas that may be of interest to others. I write to document an emotion, experience, or a blip in time. My mission is to write in such a way that the reader is reminded that we can find humor in all situations. It's one of the great blessings of life.


Tuesday, June 26, 2012

My Grateful Heart says it's "Time to Dance"

Good morning, Nags Head!  It is a beautiful, spectacular morning on the outer banks.  Cool and sunny and clear as can be after a raging storm last night.  I can't remember when we've had a storm like that, but it was as beautiful in its fierceness as today's 70 degree sunny stunner.  God is awesome in his lessons like that.  I had kind of a yucky day yesterday, then I awoke this morning to a fresh, new world. --spiritually and physically.  YES!  Sure, there's a 'time to mourn', but now it's 'time to dance'.  Time to hit the ground running again, and I can think of no better way to do it, then to celebrate all the things I am feeling grateful for.

This morning, I am feeling super grateful for the following:
1.  Honey Nut Cheerios in the house with a giant cup of coffee.  Small pleasures, but special all the same.
2. The awesome storm we had last night!  Man, did she ever blow!  It was fantastic, and now the world has this dewy fresh greenness about it that can only come from a storm.
3.  The beauty and inspiration of metaphors in life...call me a big ol' cornball, but I am inspired by such observations.
4.  The SCBWI Mid-Atlantic chapter.  I made great new friends and had a lovely retreat week-end with a sub-group of this group.
5.  Wendy Loggia of Random House who went above and beyond her professional requirements for this week-end.  She was kind and helpful and generous with her advice.
6. Tracy Barrett, historical writer extraordinaire.  Amazing, professional, hard-working writer with a great sense of humor--also quick to share from her huge vat of wisdom and experience.
7. My best writing buddy, Jody Casella, who keeps my fingers on the keyboard and my heart in the story.
8.  My understanding and patient husband.
9. My thoughtful, compassionate, independent children who show me courage and resilience.
10.  Healthy extended family.
11.  I'm starting to feel like this could go on all day, my mail person who never fails me, the radio dj who is always there when I turn it on, the check-out girl at Dollar Tree who doesn't say a word when I purchase a ten pack of Snickers and it's not even Halloween, and so on....but I have to stop somewhere, right?
12.  GREAT new books!  There's a wealth of new summer books out and begging to be read.  They can change your life if you let them.  I will be talking about these books right here very soon.  A few to get you started.  CODE NAME VERITY by Elizabeth E. Wein, KEEP HOLDING ON by Susane Colasanti, and THE SCORPIO RACES by Maggie Stiefvater (not so new, but if you haven't read it, you MUST).  All three of these titles are special and amazing in their own way, so check them out.

Embrace the magic of summer, dear friends.  Whether you are 'out of school' or not, take a different summer perspective of whatever it is you do.  Be open to new and exciting developments, impulsive and spontaneous road trips, and enjoy the simple delights of summer tomatoes and wildflowers beside the highway.  Whatever your age, you need a summer of the heart.  Embrace it.

Write on, read on and do it all with style.  And remember, sometimes it takes a storm to bring you a greener,  lusher world.

4 comments:

Jody Casella said...

I like that I am number seven. It makes me feel lucky.

Donna Jones Koppelman said...

I just want to say (in response to Jody and others- ha ha) that the items for which I am grateful are in NO PARTICULAR ORDER and definitely not in order of importance. ha ha

Tracy Barrett said...

I'm grateful for opportunities to meet wonderful people like you! The revision retreat last weekend was invigorating and inspirational. And guess what I'm doing right now? REVISING!

Pam said...

I'm grateful for this post. I love it! It is so interesting, because I was thinking to myself that I need a more grateful heart. This is the third confirmation in a week regarding this very subject. Thank you for posting this!


Isabel by Donna Jones Koppelman

Isabel by Donna Jones Koppelman

Major Bear at the Grove Park Inn by Donna Jones Koppelman

Major Bear at the Grove Park Inn by Donna Jones Koppelman