In The Flesh

My book finally arrived at the post office. Not just any book, but MY Book!

Excitement, butterflies, a sense of pride; i had so many emotions as we ripped open the card board packaging. I couldn’t stop staring at the pages, reading words I had read a hundred times before.

I bet this feeling never gets old.

Like getting a tattoo, seeing my work in the flesh immediately made me think of creating another. The hard work is already done and the writing is finished, yet it’s the weight of the book in your hands that gives a sense of completion, accomplishment, and motivation.

It was nothing compared to holding my children when they were first born and feeling instant, unconditional love. That moment still takes the cake. But it was just as sweet as any other desert I have tasted. Instead of beaming all my emotions outward, it was directed inwards, toward myself.

It’s been a long time since I’ve shown Myself this much love and pride; and darn it if I didn’t feel like a worthy recipient of my own praises. Why wouldn’t I? I worked hard, poured myself into these pages. I deserved it! It was nice not being so critical for once.

How could this day get any better? Well, for starters, I thought I was one day too late to turn in my home owner’s exemption. The clerk on the phone reminded me that we had turned in our paperwork early last year when we bought the house.

Then, after working my butt off for days to get the taxes done, it turned out we were going to get a refund. I thought for sure we were going to be put through the ringer this year. Instead, we will be smiling on the back porch, enjoying some adult beverages with our refund check.

And what a day for it! The birds are all jacked up, flittering and twittering for the first time in months. The sun has finally come out, no rain or snow. There were even some big game birds circling between the trees and a giant raptor soaring above the lake.

Somebody pinch me. It’s as if I were dreaming or found some genie in a bottle.

Except it’s not a dream. The weight of these pages is real; the result of a lot of hard work and a little luck.

It’s funny. I doubt that anything can happen today that will top yesterday’s good fortune. It could all be down hill from this moment. Yet I am happy and hopeful; curious to see what might happen.

Bring it on day, let’s see what you got!

Header Photo by Elaine Kelly. It too took a lot of patience and hard work over the winter break; licking through the center without flattening the rounded edges of the jawbreaker. One of my tongue’s greatest accomplishments.