I’m sitting in an outdoor café in Palm Springs, California having a flashback. Well, two
actually. One because I was a card carrying member of the Sonny & Cher fan club asa child, and Sonny Bono’s statue is smiling at me from across the street. Two because approximately six years ago I sat in an outdoor cafe in San Jose, California and dreamed of becoming a writer. I remember that evening so clearly that I feel as though I’m still sitting at that same table:

I had a glass of wine in one hand and a journal in the other. With the evening sun on my face, I scribbled until my hand ached about future dreams and story ideas. I didn’t begin my writing journey immediately after returning home from that trip, but I did eventually take those first tentative steps toward making it happen.

Now, as I sit here in the warm air surrounded by granite majesty, I stare at that not so flattering likeness of poor old Sonny and feel amazed at where this journey has taken me. One novel completed and a second well on its way. Who knew?

I find it far too easy to lose sight of accomplishments and dwell on what’s not getting done. I suppose we all do, to a certain degree, unless we’re graced with the opportunity to do what we love on a full-time basis. I also think that its harder to push past the rhetoric and expectations the older we get. Faced with an ever decreasing amount of time, the thought of “giving it our all,” when there isn’t as much left to give, can be daunting. That being said, it beats sitting around in a state of self-loathing because life’s passing you by and your dreams have become nothing more than ammunition for your internal failure firing squad.

As you can see, I’m doing a bit of pondering again tonight – this time via keyboard versus journal – and I’m thrilled that I get to do it in another outdoor California café. Something about CA helps me put things in perspective, or at least consider perspective, which Sonny appears to approve of.