The Ups and Downs of Life

Have you ever noticed how the highs and lows of life seem to ebb and flow like the tide? You can either get pulled out to sea with those waves of emotions, or chose to grab a wake board and make the best of it.

I lost a friend to cancer yesterday. She was around my age and was gone about a month after her diagnosis. I didn't know her well...had never actually met her in person. However, we got to know each other after talking on a message board for several years and then eventually through facebook. That is one of the few positives of facebook, I do believe. The ability to follow someones life and be a small part of it from a distance. This is why I try and keep my facebook positive, because for some, that is all they see of me.

I also found out on the same day that a dear woman I know was diagnosed with breast cancer. It's in the early stages...thank God...but it will be a huge fight for her, because she also has Parkinson's.

In addition to these two hurts, it seems that the social media feeds have been overloaded with other traumas and deaths this past week or so. Sometimes, it is difficult NOT to be affected by it.

I think that a big part of dealing with this in a healthy way, is to take a step back and put it all in focus/perspective. Think back to not that long ago, before this age of instant information, and ask  yourself this: How much of this would I even know about, if it weren't for social media? What this does for me, is highlights what does and does not matter in the scope of my personal life and emotions. Yes, I wept for the passing of my friend and grieve for the fight I know that's ahead of my other one...but everything else are really other people's pains that I can't do anything about. For me to wallow in their pain and anguish does absolutely nothing but make me feel worse.

SO...my point in all of his, is to keep some clear boundaries. As in everything in life, there are healthy limits and although they are difficult to see in social media, we need to have them. This is especially true for our children. Try and make sure that your 'feeds' are full of positive and life-affirming sites. I'm not saying to turn a blind eye to reality, but try and keep your reality as small as you are. ;)

Now...onto the positive, and most important things!

My kids are healthy, we had sunshine for a few days this past week and I graduated from Physical Therapy!!! (YAY)  It will be a year on February 1st since I was rear-ended on I5 and I am still recovering from the whiplash. I'm happy to say, that I seem to finally be regaining strength and getting back to my 'normal'. :)

I had a BIG accomplishment this week, too. I finished the 2nd book in my middle grade mysery series: The Secret of Camp Whispering Pines! I'm really excited about this fun, thrilling story. I am in the process of editing right now and will have it out on Feb, 1st! THEN, I will work on recording the audiobook version.

After that is done, I am going to turn my focus onto narrating/producing the next two books in my YA trilogy. The first book, Bloodline has gotten all positive reviews so far, so I guess I don't suck at it. Seriously though, even though I only sold a few each of my two audibooks last month, I made as much as all my ebooks, combined. So I have determined that it's worth it!

I need to get back to my editing, so I will leave you with a picture I took a couple of days ago. These two bald eagles like to hang out down by the river this time of year, and they are great about posing for me!!!