Ship in a Bottle

The first time I saw a sailing ship sitting in a small glass bottle, I was a child. I couldn't believe my eyes and asked my father to explain it. To the best of his ability, he explained how this feat was done, and I was awed by it. I still am.

Writing is something like building a ship in a bottle; the writer constructs an idea which is transformed into words, sentences, and paragraphs to form a story, poem, or a book. Certain confines and accepted parameters should be followed in order to create a cohesive, readable piece that not only entertains, but instructs the reader as well.

Thinking about a delicate, intricately constructed ship sitting within a solid glass container reminds me of my book, which was carefully crafted, strung together with my heart and soul, and endless hours of creating and editing. When it was finally inserted between the covers of a book, my "ship" was complete and ready to launch.

My first book was purely a practice piece and I kept it in the family. Then, I switched to poems and short stories and found I loved the challenge of getting to the point in as few words as possible. My second book, Through the Tunnel of Love, A Mother's and Daughter's Journey with Anorexia published in April of 2011, was born from a labor of love. And now I can say I am a novelist. My Booktrope novel, Between Heartbeats, was published August 28, 2015. It is the story of a young girl's coming of age.

Think about creating your own ship in a bottle, in whatever form you choose. I assure you that it will be one of the most worthwhile and rewarding things you can do in life.

Hold Onto the Sky

Yesterday it was so windy, that the clouds could not hold onto the sky. The morning hours were cloudy, gray, claustrophobic. But gradually, the sky cleared - it had no choice - the cloud cover was swept away. I had no desire to go outside, and when I did, my trip was cut short. It was the perfect day to stay inside to read and watch DVDs, which I found myself doing for the remainder of the day.

Today, we're back to normal for this time of year: chilly and a bit breezy, with intermittent sun breaks and warming temps, just enough to encourage the plants to perk up and to send out the ever-optimistic golfers.

The strong, unrelenting winds from yesterday stirred up thoughts about how life's trials can knock us over or simply wear us down with its ferocity. It may come all at once with an unexpected phone call, email, or letter, or sneak up innocently and escalate into a full-blown gale.

Times of stress and challenges are tough to bear, no matter the source or duration, but when I remember to hold onto the sky with faith and hope, after the winds blow past, a calm that soothes the mind and soul will reappear.