Writers are quite familiar with new chapters. Books are filled with them. I find that it is very exciting to reach the end of one, and the beginning of the next. It takes you from here to there, signifying progression, growth, oh…and it moves the story along.
So moving right along…
I have entered a new chapter in my life. It was a big step, and not just a little bit scary, but it was absolutely the right decision to make for me and my family.
Today, I resigned my full time position as a business banker to devote myself completely to being a full time writer. I don’t really feel different yet. I was already on a leave of absence, so nothing will change in the morning when I wake up at four-thirty to take the puppy out for his first pee of the day. But at the same time…somewhere deeper down…I will be a different person. The definition of “me” has officially changed. I won’t introduce myself as a banker first and a writer second. I will introduce myself as “writer”. The fact that I am also a wife and a mother is inescapable, especially when my cell phone rings and the sound of, “mom…mom…mom…mom…” emanates from the speakers.
It does this quite often.
So I suppose this means that in the morning I will need to take my new job seriously. No more surfing the internet for forty-five minutes, followed by thirty minutes of Facebook, followed by more surfing the internet, followed by reading the comments on my blog. No, instead I will have to write something new.
A new chapter perhaps.
Today—before I was considered a full time writer—I was a full time errand runner. Today’s errand? Taking a bag of poop to the vet for Indiana Jones, the English Mastiff puppy. Good news…no worms!
Mike and I also made it to the weekly farmer’s market first thing this morning, and I spent the next two hours shelling so many purple hull peas that the underside of my fingernails has become a permanent inky purple hue. I did this while watching Animal Planet’s naughtiest dog episodes. A lot of them! I now feel qualified to train, at the very least, my own dog.
I don’t think I liked the whole pea shelling activity so much. All things considered, I think I’d rather transport dog poop in a hot car.
My husband cooked a very nice dinner using those peas, so I guess it was worth it in the end.
Today was a lovely end to a marvelous chapter. I will miss it dearly while delighting in the newest adventure.
After all, new chapters are wonderful adventures.
Until the next time…I’ll be making things up as I go along!