Leana Delle

I subscribe to a number of blogs, but my favorite delivers a list of five things that the author is grateful for on a daily basis (click here to check it out). I just love it. Short, sweet, and all things positive. It never fails to bring a smile to my face.

This blog also directed me to the website, Grace In Small Things, that has been “waging a battle against embitterment since 2008.” Brilliant! An actual bandwagon that I found myself jumping onto without hesitation. Who knew?

It may not be all that obvious by the content of my posts, but I do have a tendency to play the role of skeptic. Often times, when I’m writing my blogs full of positive reinforcement and encouragement, it’s because I need to hear the words myself. I’m one of the “Rant, rant – mutter, mutter – grumble, grumble” variety, who eventually kicks themselves in the ass while screaming, “Wait just a minute. Things aren’t that bad. Smarten up!” Therefore, this process of finding grace in small things is right up my alley. Wonderful, inspiring reminders. Grumblers beware.

And what am I grateful for today?

• Breathtaking 66 F/19 C degree weather
• A happy little dog
• A night full of mind boggling dreams
• A day full of soul tingling creativity
• Websites that remind me how important it is to make lists like this one as often as I possibly can

As some of you are aware, I recently tweaked the look of my blog page, and, while doing so, I got digging around in the “Stats” section of my WordPress tool bar. In there is a summary of blog dates, hits, and comments left by others. I found the following response left by my friend, Larry Wayne Clark, after I made my first entry in 2011:

“Few people have the courage and rebelliousness to abandon an excellent, secure job to chase butterflies through the ether…which is how I perceive writing. If you aren’t bound to it like a monk to his calling, it’s probably not going to happen for you. Congratulations on your choice.”

LOVE that!

Now, I have yet to fully abandon a “secure job,” but Larry’s response refers to my leaving a previous six figure/60-hour workweek position to better pursue my monkish calling. Larry got it, which is why he added, “Congratulations on your choice.” He understood.

Larry lost his battle with cancer recently, and the man chased his own butterflies through the ether right up to the very end. He did it well and without regret. I intend to do the same.

Oops, gotta run and grab the net. I believe I see one – a big, bright yellow one just over . . .

 

 

Well, a fresh new look, and a fresh new approach. Hard to believe I’ve been writing a blog now for a year and a half. Amazing. Over that period of time, a lot of cool things have happened in my life, including the following:

• A move to a great apartment
• A dog (who wishes I’d spend more time in my great apartment)
• First novel completed and published
• A great guy (who wishes the great apartment was geographically closer)
• Numerous television interviews, including one on KASA FOX 2s “New Mexico Style”
• Bestseller status achieved on Amazon.ca in two categories: Canadian Women Writers and Women’s Fiction

To say that my head’s reeling would be an understatement, but only when I actually take the time to think about it. It’s easy to lose sight of it all when you’re doing the actual work (I prefer to call it full-time, all-encompassing play).

So, where to now? I’m going to branch out to feature some guest bloggers and do a few interviews with some of the people who inspire me to keep trekking down this intriguing path. I’ll also be re-blogging some inspiring posts by fellow creatives.

Of course, I’ll continue to keep busy working on my second novel. It’s such a joy to spend time doing what I really love to do, and even more of a joy to share that process with others.

Let’s keep fanning the flames of inspiration!

 

Three days from now marks the sixth anniversary of my friend Jenesse’s passing. She’s the girl who made me promise to write a book one day; the one responsible for starting me on this amazing journey.

For those of you who have lost a loved one, you know that the anniversary of their death exacerbates our underlying sorrow. We tend to live it all again – the loss – and either swallow hard or shed the buckets of tears that have been storing up since the last pang hit us. We also tend to play over in our minds all of the moments that defined our relationship and everything that made that person special.

I lost another friend to cancer recently – damned f%#@ing disease – who also lived his passion and left a legacy of inspiration. Larry Wayne Clark, songwriter extraordinaire.

A strong man with a gentle spirit, Larry continued to follow his dream even in the face of a grim prognosis. He maintained his numerous friendships across the miles and continued to create some of the finest goosebump inducing songs I’ve ever heard. He is missed.

Amidst the sorrow, however, I am making an effort to remind myself to show gratitude. Gratitude for having known these two fine individuals and gratitude for the ability to continue my dream and live my passion without the imminent threat of it all coming to an end. If Jenesse and Larry could continue following their passions in the face of illness, there’s no excuse for me not following mine in perfect health.

I know it’s cliché to say, “Live each day as though it may be your last,” but . . . Really? We can. I’ve seen it done.

Embrace the ones you love, encourage their wildest dreams, and ask, in return, that they encourage yours. To quote one of my favorite songs of Larry’s, “I want to live like that.”

Travel, in any form, brings me great joy. One of my previous jobs required me to fly almost weekly, and my favorite part of that? Airports. Yes, I’m one of those few people who actually enjoy these hubs of activity. I even enjoy delays if they’re not of the 10 hour variety. I simply park myself with my laptop and watch the movement.

I recently traveled to Albuquerque, NM where I appeared on KASA FOX 2’s “New Mexico Style” to promote my book, “Control Switch.” On the way, I had a connecting flight in Chicago. Five of my all time favorite words: “A connecting flight in Chicago.” For a girl who loves airports, O’Hare serves up a smorgasbord of sensory stimulation.

There’s movement everywhere. Other than the folks who are employed behind counters or between tables, everyone’s making their way toward a destination, and I love that.

Movement is fluid; it’s life. It stimulates the imagination and creates endless possibilities. While sitting in my corner of the airport last week, I imagined what it might feel like if the movement suddenly stopped. How empty the place would feel without that electrifying pulse of motion. Some would prefer the quiet and an end to maneuvering through a seemingly oblivious crowd, but not this girl. Every day in that airport, that crowd is on a journey and each person in it has a unique story to tell.

It’s basically a microcosm of the big picture, don’t you think? They all are: O’Hare, DFW, Pearson, Charles De Gaulle. A snapshot of what’s going on in the grand scheme of things. All of us on our way to some scheduled destination and picking up stories along the way.

At this stage in my own journey, I’m starting to see the importance of savoring delays in the macrocosm as well. I’m trying to actually revel in them and absorb the flow of life around me. Maybe stepping back from the energy of movement gives us a much needed reminder that it exists. Maybe the shore provides the best view of a river with a constant flow – a river that has a bend in the distance leading to potential opportunity.