Fiesta

After a rather busy weekend, it’s time to get back in the swing of things.  Okay, that’s kind of a lie.  Yesterday, I did nothing.  But the day before actually was busy.  Went to support a few friends at a book signing, then a girls’ night complete with wine and Mario Kart.  See, I actually do have a life!

One of the friends I went out to support, Paula Walker Baker, has a new book coming out at the end of the month!  I’m delighted to announce that I will be interviewing her here on my blog within the next week or so, so stay tuned!  In the mean time, stop by and check out her blog: https://paulawalkerbaker.wordpress.com

It’s funny.  I met Paula at my camp, the same place I met three of the most important people in my life.  I know I mention my camp a lot, but honestly, that place and those people changed my life.  And it was all because of one postcard in the mail.  One that my friend Terri, one of those people, sent!  Life is amazing.  It’s so weird to think how different my life would be without them.

Anyway, before I dissolve into a sentimental spiral of destiny and fate, let’s try to steer this blog post back to books.  Books!  Yes!  My favorite things!  Books are awesome!  That’s why I’m writing two at the same time!  That, or I’m just crazy!  It’s probably that second one.

In all seriousness though, if Sam Morneau accidentally turns up in the next Cemetery Tours book, I apologize.

Speaking of Sam and The Kind of September, please remember that my Become a Character Raffle and Giveaway is going on until the end of the month!  https://jackiesmith114.wordpress.com/2015/06/15/becomeacharacter/

Finally, I’ve been promising and promising, well now I’m finally delivering!  Here’s the second Boy Band short story!  Again, it hasn’t been professionally edited because my editors are too busy with the next Cemetery Tours book.  Nevertheless, enjoy!

Fiesta

Thank God for the Dreams

That didn’t come true.

That sounds weird, right?  But in college, I had a very, very different life planned out for myself.  I didn’t have any dreams of being a writer.  I had no intention of getting my Master’s degree or starting up my own company.  And I certainly never expected to find myself working at a summer camp.  My dreams were way different, and if they had come true, I don’t think I’d have anything that I have today that is worth having.

I think there are experiences you’re supposed to have and people that are destined to be in your life.  I believe that because I wouldn’t know three of my very best friends had my high school dreams come true, or had I not received a flyer in the mail about a small summer camp up at Lake Texoma.  How weird is that?  To think that that one little piece of paper kind of altered my destiny?  It was a total whim, applying for a lifeguard/counselor’s position up there.  But I did and I got the job.  And because of that one little whim, that one little slip of destiny, I got to spend yesterday hiking with these lovely people (and puppies).

Every time I’m around them, I can’t help but think about how happy I am that I took that chance, followed that whim.  We’re supposed to be in each others’ lives.  That’s all there is to it.  And that’s an awesome feeling.

I love having them, too, because we all enjoy spending time in beautiful places such as this… Straight out of a fairy tale.

Little Things Like Destiny

My sister went back to college this morning.  It’s been so great having her back home, and I’m going to miss her like crazy, but I am glad she’s getting back to her path toward whatever is waiting for her.

Last night, we were talking about what we’re supposed to be doing in life.  She told me that even though she knows she’s on the right track and in the right place, she can’t help but feel that there’s something she’s not doing, that there’s something waiting for her.  I know exactly what she’s talking about, because I felt the same way when I was in college.

There’s this notion today that kids are supposed to have everything figured out, but the truth is that’s almost impossible.  Yeah, some know what they want to do, some know their goals and work tirelessly to achieve them.  Some know that they’ll grow up to be doctors or lawyers or engineers.  But there are just as many, if not more so, who literally do not have a clue.  I was one of them.  I’m tempted to say that I’m still trying to figure it out.

It’s weird to look back and think about how everything that’s ever happened to you has been leading up to one moment or one discovery.  For example, my time spent working as a summer camp counselor up at Lake Texoma.  Growing up, I was outdoorsy, but not the camping kind of outdoorsy.  Everything about a job at summer camp was way outside my comfort zone.  The truth is, I wouldn’t have even known the camp existed if I hadn’t, by chance, noticed a flyer for it in the mail one day.

How cool is that?  It’s like, destiny came to me by mail.  Because I do think I was destined to work at that camp.  I met some of my very best friends at that camp, had some of my very best experiences, learned more about myself and grew in ways that I never thought possible.  Working at that camp gave me everything I didn’t know I needed.  And I still need it.

I like to believe that your destiny will find you, even if you have no idea what it is or where it will lead you, and of course, I think we all have many, many different destinies.  It was my destiny to adopt my kitty, Midnight, and save her from the sewers.  It was my destiny to read the book that led me to realize I wanted to be an author.  It was my destiny to work at a summer camp in a place called Pottsboro.

I guess what I’m hoping to say with this post is that if you don’t know what you’re doing, where you’re headed, what’s going to happen, you’re not alone.  In fact, I think you’re one of the lucky ones.  Your possibilities are endless.  It’s all out there waiting for you.  And when it finds you, it’s going to be amazing.  Take it from someone who’s been there, and who hopefully has a thousand more destinies waiting.  Your life is going to be amazing.