Dear Rita Mae Brown,
In your works and in your
life, you often emphasize the importance of friendships. You seem so
independent for someone that stresses close relationships thusly. I venture to
comment that sometimes it is the strength we gather from others that makes us
appear strong.
Several people have recently
complimented my writing and, through my life, many have showered me with
compliments on many levels. The writing I know for a fact is in no small part
the result of years of encouragement from my friends in our Writer’s Circle.
One in particular, Jennifer Silva Redmond, has been tirelessly nurturing me
along, contributing her words and wisdom to my writings.
As for the compliments of my
character, my actions, there is a sister, my
Rita (whose favorite color is brown, I kid you not) that deserves credit
for tirelessly guiding and supporting me through my life.
Today I spent the afternoon
with my Writer’s Circle editor friend and topped the day off by visiting her
and her husband on their currently dry docked boat, the best time ever to
invite a friend aboard that gets seasick.
As we chatted, a glass
appeared in my hand and poured into it was half of her beer. We recalled the
last time I drank alcohol, a margarita, also with her. “Guess it is time for my
every 5 year drink.”
We chatted about their
screenplays and my novel while their dog Ready joined in the visit. They teased
me about the steamy love scene that she encouraged me to put in. By now, the
early fragments of the second and third follow-up novels have similar scenes.
As the teasing began, I took
my leave, wishing them well on their upcoming trip up the coast by boat. The
counsel of friends happens with such ease that it’s barely noticeable in the
moment. Yet if one could look back to see the friends that have been
there, hear the talks and laughter shared and, if it were even possible, count
the tears liberated, the affect is undeniable.
Our strength is in our
numbers, both in our masses and in what we contribute to one another. Not one
of us would be who we are if not for whom we have known. Some say we should
even be thankful for those that caused us pain, for they taught us something of
ourselves in the interaction. There may be merit to that argument, however I
tend to focus on the positive contributions.
I find it quite astounding
how the tides in a moment can turn from treacherous to bearable and even
enjoyable with the counsel of a companion. It’s something invisible,
untouchable and it is so clearly necessary. Of all the tools we are given, it
is the ones hardest to comprehend and impossible to grasp that mean the most.
In awe,
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