One Little Elephant

I woke at 8:15. Not good for a Monday. I'd stayed up playing free cell and listening to talking heads until 2 a.m. Bad choice for a mom who needs to orchestrate the morning exodus of three teens. But there are lessons to be learned every day if you're paying attention. Here's what I learned between 8:15 and 9:15 today:

8:20 a.m. Clothing hung in the laundry room overnight is only half dry by morning. A successful and timely drying process requires fresh, moving air.

Writing Lesson: Successful novel writing requires fresh perspectives and new experiences. Too much time spent sitting in a small room staring at a screen awaiting inspiration can be counterproductive.

8:25 a.m. Number One Son calmly announces he can no longer wait for Sister (whose alarm failed to go off). He must leave for school without her or be late. He drives off in his truck. Number Two Son, with whom she usually rides, had regretfully given up waiting ten minutes earlier and left in his truck. Despite the fact I must now rush to get dressed and take her myself, my heart surges with pride in my boys. They weren't angry or upset with their Sister. Each had generously waited for her as long as possible without jeopardizing his own schedule. But both realize that, ultimately, getting Sister to school isn't their responsibility. It's mine. They've grown into generous young men, but young men with reasonable boundaries.

Writing Lesson: In writing, as in all of life, I need reasonable boundaries. I need to be responsible for what I am responsible for, as generous as possible with others without compromising my own success, and free to move on in life without guilt or anger when things don't happen as expected.

8:30 a.m. DH's car, which is normally safely in the garage, is blocking mine. It's his one day off this week and he's snoozing-in. I could get his keys and move his car or even drive my daughter to school in it. He wouldn't care. But I would. I don't drive my husband's muscle car. Not out of fear (I come from a long line of car-folk; if it's got an engine I can drive it), but out of respect.

Instead I do an impressive (if I do say so myself) series of tiny forward/reverse maneuvers and free my car from imprisonment.

Writing Lesson: Don't be afraid to get your characters into really tight situations. Have confidence in your ability to get them out again.

8:40 a.m. My daughter comes flying down the stairs. Her clothes are perfect. Her unwashed hair is barrett-ed up in fabulous funky fashion. For someone who didn't even have time to shower, she looks like she's ready for an interview at Teen Vogue. Bad hair day dodged.

Writing Lesson: Prepare to be creative. Use your 'easy days' to stock your closet, hair pins drawer, writing ideas file, etc. with things that will allow you to soar over the hurdles the 'difficult days' throw in your path. Don't let anything stop you from being the best you can be.

8:47 a.m. I drop her off at the high school with minutes to spare. I pull out of the drop-off arc and drive a block on the main road in front of the school. I stop behind another car just short of the entrance to the school's student parking lot. We drivers on the main road have the right of way, but the tardy bell will ring in mere minutes and there is a line of about forty cars in the turn lane trying to get into the student parking lot. If they're going to beat the bell they need to get into that parking lot now. The mother in front of me is purposefully blocking the right of way traffic. Her actions are not unusual. If she hadn't done it, another parent would have. No one honks. We wait patiently. One after the other all forty cars whip into the parking lot.

Writing lesson: Being part of a community where people look after each other is a blessing. Remember sometimes even if you're entitled, another's need is greater. Be generous. Help others succeed.

8:55 a.m. An ambulance siren is blaring. I see its lights flashing in the distance. I pull off to the side along with all the other drivers and we wait while the ambulance and the fire engine following it rush by.

Writing Lesson: There are priorities in life. Keep yours straight. If you want your characters to be likeable or at least believable, keep theirs straight as well, or show good reason why they aren't.

9:00 a.m. I keep a basket near the front door. I toss errand items into it throughout the day: checks to deposit, letters to mail, shirts for the cleaners, library books, printer cartridges needing refill, prescriptions to fill, items my kids friends leave at my house that need to be returned to theirs, store returns, special shopping lists for the hardware store/plant nursery/beauty supply/office supply/bookstore, etc. I didn't plan to run errands this morning, but by force of habit I grabbed the basket on the way out. So I run a few errands.

Writing lesson: Build simple systems into your daily life that buy you the time and peace of mind to write.

9:15 a.m. I pull into the driveway at home with a lighter errand basket and take-out breakfasts. I'm glad I brought two. DH is up. His car is safely back in the garage and he has his lawn work clothes on. We eat together on the front porch.

Writing Lesson: Enjoy the simple pleasures in life - like breakfast on the porch with a middle-aged cutie wearing a torn t-shirt and an Indiana Jones hat. Learn to love the buzzy music of the hedge trimmer while you write.

Something that's helping me write today: An empty inbox and a well-organized file drawer. All courtesy of having my daughter spend an hour with me in my office this weekend playing file clerk and general office assistant. She's a gem.