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Remounting the horse

Lady and Scout
Have you ever been tossed to the ground by a horse?

We had a horse named Lady who was a bit strong-willed. She seemed to sense my 'beginner' nerves and made use of that information. While going down hill she lowered her head and off I went. I can't explain how it happened only that I didn't want to get back on her back.

But I had to. You can't let a horse win or you'll go flying off that saddle every time.

The day I took that tumble I didn't expect it to become a blog post someday or even a life lesson.
Probably because the day I took the fall I was 17 and knew everything.

Since that day life has thrown me from the saddle many times. Sometimes it's not hard to get back on because it wasn't a big fall and the horse didn't run off so I had to catch it. Maybe that's the day the gluten free meal I made turned out like paste. ( Oh yeah, that was another drop in my life I hadn't expected no more regular people bread!)

Or maybe that fall is harder like losing your husband at 32.

That was a flattening fall. It took months to even to look up. Then despite my fear of being thrown again, I remarried.

So far so good--I haven't killed him with my gluten free cooking yet.

There is another kind of fall that I experience. After I finish a crocheting a scarf, making a quilt or writing a book it takes awhile to try another one. I have a new book coming out in May. A Bride's Dilemma in Friendship, Tennessee. I know those characters so well that I keep thinking about them. It's hard to take my attention away from Heaven and Travis and turn it onto new characters.

But like falling off the horse, I must get back on or in this case back in my writer's chair and make friends with those unwilling characters who only want to look pretty--much like Lady who only wanted to be in the pasture.

So many things require us to get back up and start anew.
What's the hardest project you've had to restart?


  1. It is so hard to get back on after you've fallen hard. I'm so bad at pinpointing tough moments in my life because once I survive them, I have no interest is recalling the pain (probably an unhealthy response but mine nonetheless). Sounds like you've pulled through some of the most difficult of situations. Getting back in the writing chair shouldn't be too hard for you.

  2. Sara, oddly enough I'm finding that writing chair harder to do than the others. Maybe because there is more support from friends when the fall is huge.

  3. I understand how hard it is to get back up again, into the "saddle" of writing. Hang in there. Within a few chapters, you'll get a feel for your new characters and you'll start to like them. State to think about them.
    One thing I'm struggling with right now is letting my son drive again after he had an accident. Once I get my van back, I'm not going to want to let me take it out. Small thing, but hard.
    P.S. You crochet! So do I! Keep your eyes on my blog. I hope to post a picture of my latest project there later this week. I'd love to see your scarf!

  4. Thanks for the advice, Liz.
    I had trouble letting my sons drive after a problem too. :( Guess we don't have a choice though. Glad he is okay.

    I crochet--scarves! That's it. I made an afghan once. Maybe I'll post a photo of that scarf.

  5. Picking yourself up and starting over - so difficult and so important! You are obviously resillient and will get through this. The stories we have to tell will find a way to come out of us one way or another. May as well sit down, even if it's for 15 mins and see what they have to say. :)

    1. Tami, I'm thinking about all the ways this story could come out if I don't write it. :) That bag of chocolate chips looks might good...

  6. Great post! Love the "because then I was 17 and I knew everything." Didn't we all!? Hee.

    And I'm right where you are. First book finished, now moving onto the second. Luckily, I have some of the same characters to work with, but from a different main character's POV, so it's taking a lot of "mental planning" time to get into her head!

    Best of wishes to you as you start the new book!

    1. Heather, I've decided I must have known everything and then started forgetting when my children started arriving. :)
      Best wishes on getting into the heads of your characters.