I often write about paying attention to your intuition, your heart, or your gut. Whatever I name that thing that you need to trust in at any given moment, in any given time, rings true for me once more.
I love it when things come to fruition, when everything aligns and feels balanced and perfect, that is, if there is such a thing as perfect. Can you recall a time when you were on the brink of a decision? You came to a fork in the road, and you wondered, should I turn left, or should I turn right? I know from previous life experience that I should choose the direction my heart tells me to go. But we, as a culture, tend to intellectualize a decision to absurdity. We weigh the pros and cons. We base our decision on how it will affect other people in our lives. We ask permission from those that we know will support us. We set things up in our heads, to bring a very predictable and comfortable outcome. Why? Because the unknown triggers fear. To continue to grow in every way, I know that stepping into the unknown, trusting in something that is not normal or typical or expected, is what continues to grow my soul and inspires me to trust my intuition, my heart, and my gut.
I will use my recent passion piece, my children’s book, experience as an example and inspiration for this month’s blog.
About nine years ago, my son, who had just graduated college, landed a job in another state. My husband and I traveled to Wisconsin to visit and spend some time with him. During our visit, on a lazy Saturday afternoon, we headed back to our hotel room to rest and get cleaned up for dinner. While my husband napped, I let the weight of the miles that now separated our son from us, begin to sit heavy in my heart. Feeling reflective and nostalgic I thought about my grown-up, adult sons and how throughout the years the pangs of separation from my kids were ever- evolving and somehow always changing. The separation never felt any easier, it just felt different as we aged together. It began with their first day of kindergarten, and when they got their driver’s license, and their first date, first prom, first day of college, and the first-time returning home with their brand-new independence. The list goes on, and on. Our hope is that they build a life of their own and find someone special to share it with. And so, it goes. In all experiences of separation, we become less and less involved in our children’s daily lives. As a collective community of parents, this is what we want for our kids. This is what we pray for. This is what they are supposed to do. And so, it goes.
So many years ago, in that hotel room listening to my husband snore, I allowed the heaviness in my heart begin to fuel inspiration, and I wrote. Sweet memories came flooding in, the words made their way to my fingertips, and I wrote about a tradition my boys and I shared when they were quite young.
In May of this year, I became a grandmother and while we were expecting our granddaughter’s arrival, I was inspired to turn the tradition I wrote about nine years ago into a children’s book. So, I got to work. After researching all I could about publishing a children’s book, which was an entirely different genre than my first book, it was time to think about an illustrator. I know some very artistic folks and although I knew that their talent would be beneficial and meet my desired outcome for this project, I could not decide.
Who should I ask?
Then one day, at the office, a coworker stopped by my desk. We made typical small talk about the weather and our families and then, being the proud father he is, he showed me some pictures his daughter had drawn. Beaming with pride, and rightfully so, he explained how he and his wife had enrolled their daughter in art class to support her passion. I was so impressed with their 8- year-old’s talent and before he walked away, it hit me, and I thought to myself, who better to illustrate a children’s book than a child?
Every part of me knew this is who I needed to ask to illustrate my book.
I could not contain my excitement. Everything had aligned perfectly. I gave myself a day to really allow it to settle in and then I asked my coworker if his daughter would be interested in submitting drawings to be used in my children’s book.
The rest, as they say, is history.
Pay attention. Trust your intuition, your heart, or your gut instincts. They will always steer you in the direction. Trust that when you know something is right, it’s right. Trust in your truth.
Be well dear friends,
DDBR, Micki, xo