Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Looking for Feathers


            Writing a book had always been a dream of mine but my pursuit of a vocation had led me in a very different direction. Yet, I always wondered if writing a novel was a dream that would never come to fruition. Finally, after exhausting all my excuses, I sat down and began writing. I had forgotten how natural writing felt and how enjoyable it was for me. I had always loved writing when I was younger and even in my early years of college, I guess that was before my creative writing had to become more scientific and evidence based. Now in between being a wife, a mom, and an orthodontist, I really looked forward to my writing time. However, as much as I enjoyed writing it was also very consuming. I often wondered if I should continue to devote my time to this project. Doubts would creep in such as; was I the only one who thought that it was worth anything, was it a good story, and was I on the right track with my characters and plot? Around this time, I read an article about intuition and being open to receiving signs. I was back to the “believe, ask, and receive” advice. I was having “writer’s block” and nothing was working for me that day so I decided to stop writing and go for a drive. I was living in Colorado at the time and as I was in my car, I said out loud, “Please, I wish someone would give me a sign that I am not wasting my time” and in that exact moment, honestly that exact moment, a feather floated in front of me and landed on my sleeve. I didn’t think too much about it until I looked up and saw a sign that had the word “ANGEL” on it. Let me remind you that my novel is a coming of age young adult novel about angels. My heart raced a little and even if that was a coincidence, it had at least made me feel better and more encouraged, which is exactly what I needed to continue writing. Since that day, when I have doubts or on days when I need a pick me up, I seem to have feathers that fall to me for encouragement. I have had them show up in yoga studios, walking down a street, in my office, just about anywhere and everywhere. A group of friends and I went to see a well-known medium for fun one day and during the group reading, she pointed to me and said, “You can’t see it but a feather just came past my face and landed on you.” There was no way that she could have known about my feathers and my friends and I couldn’t help but laugh since it was not surprising to any of us. So how could this experience relate to you? Open your eyes, be receptive to signs, strive to reach new goals, keep reinventing yourself, believe that you can, and most importantly never stop looking for your feathers, whatever they might be.

5 comments:

  1. That was an amazing story, I am a big believer in signs that come to us that way. We just need to know how to watch for them. Thanks for sharing

    ReplyDelete
  2. By way of preface, let me say I came across this via your Twitter acct and the Corvisiero agency website. Your comments about feathers reminds me of my friend and critique partner, Rebecca Gault, who died a few years ago. Before she died, she told her grieving friends that she'd always be around--and we'd know every time we saw a feather that she was there. It really stuck with me, and oddly, when I have problems with my writing, I see a feather and then imagine what she'd say to me! I wrote more about her here: http://kathrynbarrett.com/?p=297 (Perhaps she interfered in your life too!)

    And another little connection: I'm a (retired) AF spouse too, currently living overseas. And I also have a rescued Golden (was meant to be a foster, but I failed at that!).

    Best of luck with your writing and agenting. And wishing more feathers your way!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Kathryn, I am finally getting back to my blog after a bit of a break and came across your comments. I was touched by your words and immediately went to your link. I read the story about your friend and I had to grab a box of tissues half way through. My aunt recently passed away from Stage 4 Ovarian Cancer and the pain is still so fresh...

    I loved your comment about a fostering Golden's. I volunteer but my husband has concerns of my fostering because he knows I would never give up a golden once it was in our home :-)

    Thank you for sharing your story and may we both keep looking for feathers!!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thank you for your beautiful story about feathers. Thank you too for your and your husband's service to our country. I am a mom of a veteran.

    Before my son was deployed to Iraq, this happened to me. Early one morning,I found myself in a semiconscious state between sleep and wakefulness. A startling image filled my mind. The vivid picture was of a soldier in tricolor desert fatigues wearing a helmet.

    The soldier's head was down, so I couldn't see his face. Behind the soldier was an angel with broad white wings crisscrossed
    protectively around the soldier. The overlapping of each
    individual feather in those strong wings reminded me
    of eagles'wings when the bird stretches and soars high
    in the sky. The image stayed with me for the rest of the day.

    My son made it back. I used writing as a way to cope with his
    deployment. I asked other moms to write their stories.
    The result was the book, Love You More Than You Know Mothers'
    Stories About Sending Their Sons and Daughters to War.
    (Gray & Co.,Publishers, 2009, eBook 2012)

    The image of the angel and the feathers comforted me.I hope
    that LYMTYK will help comfort other mom's sending their
    children to war. www.loveyoumorethanyouknow.com

    ReplyDelete