A Book Coming to Life

It’s been a busy, busy summer so far with projects pulling me in several different directions; but I’ve spent a lot of time this week focusing on the next book, Real Women, Real Wisdom: A Journey into the Feminine Soul.  I am feeling very positive about it!

In Real Women Real Wisdom, 17 ordinary women—most in their 50s and 60s—reflect on the challenges, mysteries and ultimately the triumphs in their lives. Their stores tell of the transformative experiences of loss, suffering, life-threatening illness, recovery, and forgiveness, as well as the quiet moments of reflection that have led to their personal encounters with the Divine. The journeys they share hold great wisdom, hope and inspiration for all who read about them. 

I have all 17 chapters edited and most of the book laid out. I have a cover mockup that I’m just waiting for some final information for. I have requests in to two well-known Catholic spiritual writers, both of whom have agreed to read some or all of the 17 chapters and, if they like them, to give us an endorsement to include in the final copy. 

The book turned out to be a little longer than I anticipated, with all the author bios we’re at about 220 pages, I think.  But I figure people can pick it up, read a chapter/reflection and lay it back down for days or weeks or whatever they need and then go back to it without a hitch. It isn’t something that needs to be read in one sitting. 

There are some very touching stories, and some very painful experiences are shared, but each of the women has wrestled with darkness and come out of it into brightness and freedom. As one of the women suggested: These are stories that needed to be shared. I am pleased to be the instrument that is helping bring these women’s beautiful voices to light.

My goal is to have the books printed and ready to sell by September 24, the date on which we are holding a benefit concert and auction to help one of the women who has been stricken by cancer. Marilyn has battled thyroid cancer for nearly two years, undergoing five major surgeries, radiation, and ongoing physical and speech therapy. Her most recent surgery was less than a month ago. She lost her job this winter when she could not return within the 90-day window because of complications.  She lost her voice when the tumor in her thyroid wrapped around her larynx. Not only does she share her story in the book, but I want some of the proceeds  from the sale to go to help her financially during this very difficult time. It’s what I think we are all called to do, help each other through the difficult times in our lives.

As I’ve been working on this next book and working on the fundraiser, I’ve let some things slip, including this blog, and including any promotional work for 42 States of Grace.  In the meantime, it got picked up by a bookstore at a spirituality center for their summer program, and a well known book reviewer/blogger, Rose City Reader, did a very positive review on it. So it seems when I let go of stressing and obsessing over it, Someone else has taken over.  I suspect there could also be some “coattail” effect when Real Women, Real Wisdom comes out.

In closing her chapter about her struggles with cancer, my friend Marilyn writes: 

“Life is not about reaching Happily Ever After, as tempting as that seems. There is no place of perfect insight, perfect peace, perfect faith where, once we reach it, we will stay forever in safety. 

“Rather, life is joy and suffering unfolding step by step. The gratitude of the beach is followed by the sorrow of the highway home, and then that is followed by the joy of seeing loved ones again and telling them the story. God is found in our life as it is. And our call is to live, to be present to our lives, in pain or in promise, and sometimes in both.”

Kinda makes you want to get the book and see what other beautiful and thought-provoking nuggets are hidden within, doesn’t it?

Heart to Heart

Well, it hasn't quite been a month since my last post. So much for resolutions and good intentions!  It's been a very busy few weeks. I've been working on editing the contributions for the next book--17 women (including me) share insights and experiences about their lives and their faith journey. There are some beautiful stories so stay tuned.

In addition, I'm working on some fundraising activities to help a good friend who has been very cruelly struck by what is often a fairly curable type of cancer; but it hasn't been playing fair with her, and she just underwent her fourth--or was it fifth?--major surgery in less than two years. She's lost her job because of the cancer and it will likely be months before she can even begin looking again. She definitely needs some financial help right now. 


I have been working on completely relandscaping my front yard, going from almost all grass to hardly any grass, and doing almost all the work myself. (No wonder my back hurts!)

And, my son moved back home a couple weeks ago so I now get to have Jesse every weekend again. Busy times, but good times; productive times.

In fact, today I had Jesse, who turned three a couple weeks ago, all day while his dad was working. I'm exhausted! Three-year-olds have so much energy! I had forgotten, or else I had enough energy of my own that I could take it all in stride 25+ years ago when I last had a three-year-old.

Jesse and I had a busy day, taking Charlie for a walk and taking time to play at the park, watering the plants in pots, picking strawberries and blueberries (I picked and Jesse ate them) from my garden, playing Wii, making homemade ginger-peach ice cream. (This was following my experiment making lavender panna cotta last week--Practicing for a dinner we're auctioning off as part of the fundraiser.) So after all this hard work, Jesse finally took a nap around 2:30. About an hour later I heard Charlie bark and the doorbell rang. Jesse had fallen asleep in my recliner in the living room so I wasn't too happy. It was another solicitor. They come seeking donations, trying to sell things, trying to sell services. It gets incredibly tiresome and I'm almost ready to put up a "No Solicitors" sign.  Of course, after sending this one on his way--he promising to return and I telling him not to bother--I closed the door and saw a little blond head leaning out from the recliner. A little voice greeted me with "Hi, Grandma!" Jesse was awake. But not completely finished napping, apparently.

He wanted a drink so we walked into the kitchen, but then he wanted to be held. I picked him up and held him, and he put his head on my shoulder.  Completely relaxed. My back has been giving me lots of grief lately so I went back into the living room and sat on the sofa. Jesse continued to cuddle and it was clear he was going back to sleep. I sat and held him for awhile. As his body pressed against mine I felt his chest move in and out with his breathing, felt his heartbeat keeping time with my own.  It's been a long time since I've held anyone this close for such an intense, intimate embrace. As I sat and just experienced Jesse's heart beating against mine, I felt completely at peace, whole, and yet also part of a greater whole. I felt a deep connection to this child of my child, this busy, smart, sassy, darling little boy. I remembered times holding Karl this close when he was a child, and thought about holding Karl's father, my husband John, in just such an embrace. Much as I sometimes miss John, it is reassuring to know he lives on through Karl and Jesse, and through our daughter, Kristin.


Life is a mystery to me most of the time. There is so much I don't understand and likely never will. But there are moments of clarity, like this afternoon, when I know I am exactly where I am supposed to be, doing just what I am meant to do.  Even if those things I do likely mean little or nothing to society, to anyone else. I know in my heart spending time with my grandson, helping my friend with cancer, being here for my son all matter very much in the only scheme of things that really counts.