Gratitude

 

After a period of stressful ‘getting the novel completed’ and ‘getting the novel edited’, it’s a wonderful feeling when the typescript is finally on its way towards publication. For me, as an ‘Indie Author’ this means having the text (interior) and cover, etc., all processed and sent over from my book and cover designer — and awaiting the final push — that of sending it off to Ingram Spark to transform it into a saleable book — and also to Amazon for Kindle.

A great period for rejoicing! Though after the initial rejoicing — of completing the text, editing, etc. and after receiving the completed files, there is now a kind of hiatus before that final push, that Ingram form-filling.

So, then I realized that today there’s another task which takes over — my AU contribution for September. And, surprising how these things turn up, it’s our wedding anniversary — 15th September 1973 — which makes it our fiftieth or Golden Wedding.

Hum. So many couples may’ve planned, or had planned for them, a big (or small) party with champagne and a cake. Well, here we’ve been different. Our daughter (now early forties with a son of seven) announced a few months back that she (having, to our great pleasure, found ‘the One’ or been found by him in the past few years), was planning a wedding in early September!

Hence, and in truly up-to-date style, they arranged a wedding and it took place, partly at an outdoor venue, last weekend — the hottest of the year!

All went well and happily, despite the heat, leaving us parents slightly the worst for heat, and we have no regrets!

But, a party for ourselves? Really, tea and cake with kids and grandkids suits fine, and hopefully will take place next weekend (if there are trains…).

So, what am I feeling? No resentment that no cards, flowers, champagne, were delivered here. Simply thankfulness that we can look back on weathering the storms of marriage and kids (and how!), grow to possibly know each other better than we did all those years ago when we made our commitments (in church, white wedding, reception in alma mater college hall…how different). 

Can one say that it feels like a privilege to get here, and to have ‘chosen’ and ‘been chosen by’ someone who has supported my writing (and painting) and is qualified (and more) to be my editor, adviser, and corrector of typos, in addition to actually finding what I write interesting, amusing, and sometimes profound? And who tolerates my love of cats (our present one loves him more than me!), who not only read aloud to the kids but now reads aloud to me to relax on cosy evenings?

Today’s blog is, consequently, about gratitude, for the fact that we’ve achieved the ‘long haul’ together, in these times of constant change, climate crisis, and uncertainty. Many writing friends have had to accept no interest in their work from spouse or family, and some are now on their own. Fifty years is a long time, and on balance one has reached a place of thankfulness.