Price of Passion

Canada lost to Russia 5-4 yesterday in the World Championships in Quebec City. The game went to overtime and Russia scored in overtime. Canada was leading 4-2 going into the third period. This is called devastation for the Canadian players and fans. I was in Halifax for two of the games and know how passionate the players and their families and all the Hockey Canada staff are about their game. Plus the fans. Canadians love their hockey. My hubby was there the entire time and know he still has that morning-after sick feeling. But it's because he's so passionate about the game and about his job. Yeah, he works a ton of hours, but he does so because he loves his job and the crazy game of hockey. When people say things to me like "your husband is gone so much how do you stand it?" I say, "he loves what he does and how can that be a bad thing." He's here when he needs to be here. He has balance.
Now the thing is--when you're passionate about something you put yourself out there to be rejected. The Canadian players, coaches, management staff put themselves on the line.
And so do people in the arts!!!
I know about rejection too. I'm a writer. Yes, I've published eleven books to date but none of that guarantees me anything. I still get rejected. Over and over. But I can't stop writing and I certainly can't stop ideas and characters from entering into my thoughts. I still get excited when a new idea just mysteriously pops into my mind. And sometimes those crazy ideas end up being good ones and sometimes they don't or sometimes the ideas just take time to become good.
I think passion in life is so important. My kids have all found something that makes them feel fantastic and I think that is great. Their passion has so much significance in their lives. And they don't want to veer off and head down the wrong path because the cost is so great. They will lose what they love to do--what they are passionate about. But passion has that price. I've seen them lose or not be successful in auditions. I've seen them cry.
And I've cried. I used to cry when I got rejections. And I got a lot, let me tell you. I don't cry much anymore because I know I'm not going to stop writing. And I know another idea is just around the corner. That would be insane to quit!!! I love what I do too much.
My agent has moved out of the literary agent business and I'm now agentless. So I guess I'll be getting the letters of rejection in the mail now. And when I get into the mood to try and find a new agent--I think I'll fly solo for the summer- I'm sure I'll be rejected over and over until I find one. That's the writing world. If you want to read a passionate writing blog you should read eidtor Cheryl Klein's. She's at CherylKlein.com. From her blog you can tell she is so passionate about editing and writers. I love reading her blog because the passion oozes from her words. And she has such good words of advice for writers. It's obvious that she loves books.
Okay, so find what you're passionate about and do it. But the trick is to make sure while you are being passionate to have a life too. Hmm. Am I making sense. Sometimes, I need to step back from my computer and go outside and garden or exercise and I always make sure I'm there for my children. Of course, when I'm there for my children I'm listening to pick up ideas. Okay, so I don't really have a life!!!
And I've definitely babbled long enough.
My heart is healing from the loss yesterday.
My heart will heal from all my rejections.
And those guys will still play hockey, and I'll still write.
Onwards.
Find what you love to do and do it.
And this is not a Nike ad.

My daughter's graduation

My daughter graduated last night from grade twelve. Did I cry? Of course. How could my baby be 18 already, leaving high school, and leaving home in September. I don't get it. I've had her for 18 years now, known her whereabouts just about every minute of her day, and now, well, she's her own amazing person. Doing her own things, living her own life. She's leaving next year to go to the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in LA. Okay, so I'm crying again. She won't live in our house next year!
I watched stunned as she walked across the stage in her cap and gown. That was the morning. Then the afternoon was spent getting her hair and make-up done and putting on her beautiful dress. She went with the short style. We gathered as parents to drink champagne and watch our not-so-young children climb into the limo-bus. There were twenty-eight in my daughter's group who were celebrating together. The girls looked fabulous in their dresses and up-dos and the guys looked fabulous too in their suits and ties. Many I'm sure have never worn a tie before. Okay, so more tears are flowing, just remembering. To be perfectly cliched and write like Peanuts Snoopy from the comics; All in all, it was a beautiful night. (I think he says it was a dark and stormy night.) My daugher gave the toast to the teachers at the dinner and, of course, I cried through that. I thought she was amazing. She talked about being scared but being ready to move on.
Really???
Is she really 18? Is she really old enough to be finished grade twelve?
Can you tell, she's my first to leave the nest?
Yikes.
Didn't she just start kindergarden?
Okay, okay. I'll be quiet.
Sniff. Sniff.

What's calories among friends!!!

Well, the funeral for Ed Chynoweth was yesterday. Today I ran into a friend and she asked how it was and I said, "Great!" Then, I thought, did I just say a funeral was great. But it was great. I cried and I laughed. Ed was a character, larger than life, and we celebrated his life, just like he would want us to do. Hubby and I went to Ed's nephew's house afterwards for a dinner and there was so much food and drinks and wonderful conversation. All good times with Ed. But then the Chynoweth family is from Saskatchewan and there is no way anyone from Saskatchewan would have a party with not enough food. They feed and feed and it is wonderful. Their hospitality was terrific. I loved Cheryl, Ed's nephew's wife, when she said, "What's calories among friends?"
I laughed and took another chocolate square.
Ed was a wonderful man.
We celebrated his life.

Sunday morning musings

It's early on a Sunday morning and, of course, I'm up early. My teenagers sleep in and don't bug me but...my dogs wake me up. They don't figure out that it is Sunday. Sunday mornings come with thoughts. Tomorrow, I have to go to a funeral for a man who died of cancer. He was only in his mid-sixties. Last spring, he was doing okay. This spring, he's gone. I hate cancer. I hate what it does to people. How it makes them suffer. I hate what it does to families. How it makes them lonely. It leaves such a hole and it doesn't seem to care. It still eats away at people every day.

Every little bit counts

A big thanks goes to Suncor for sponsoring the WordPower tour in Fort McMurray. There were six authors, one storyteller and one illustrator from Alberta that went to Fort McMurray. We are all members of the Young Alberta Book Society. Suncor works with YABS to get the authors up north and to the schools. Suncor's goal is to have presenters hit every school in the area. Authors were: Rob Feagan, Faye Holt, Rita Feutl, Don Meredith, Joan Marie Galat and myself. Cathy Jessup was the lone storyteller, (and can she tell stories), and Lorna Bennett, (who is amazing), was the lone illustrator. We had a wonderful time, despite the snow. Lots of snow. Did I say lots of snow. On the Tuesday we actually had a snow day because the school buses weren't running. Locals told us that was the first time in thirty years that the children of Fort McMurray had a snow day. Crazy. Unfortunately, the one school that missed out was Fort Chip because the presenters couldn't fly in. Next year!
Now...I have to give a huge thanks to the schools I went to: Westview, Timberlea, Sister Mary Phillips, St. Martha, and Fort McKay. You guys are awesome! I was treated like royalty. My partner in the school was Rita Feutl and she has a great book out! Check out all the authors who toured. I think you'll find all their books very, very interesting.
I think it's fabulous that Suncor sponsors this trip. It gets us presenters up north and it is a huge bonus for literacy. Literacy is a big topic right now and the more we can help the better our society will be. Even Anne Murray is on the literacy bandwagon. In a society full of Hollywood stars taking all the limelight, it's nice for children to think of authors and storytellers and illustrators as being interesting. I had one class who knew so many authors names that I was blown away. They thought their favorite authors were heros. How's that for awesome.
Now, I know my books are not like JK Rowlings, and I'm not famous like her, nor am I famous like Judy Blume or the woman who wrote "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants", but... maybe I'm still doing something good for society! Thanks to a company like Suncor who paid for me to do this tour, I was able to reach some students.
Every little bit counts.
My daughter has a drama teacher at school and she is unbelievable. I look at her and think, wow. You have done so much for the kids you teach. She has made them dig deep and she has encouraged them and her students do amazing work because she is their mentor.
Every little bit counts.
Every little bit counts.