Of Broken Arms and Writing Books

As we all know, this thing called LIFE sometimes gives us beautiful doorways to walk through, like the one above, and other times, well, not-so-much.

I received a beautiful email letter just the other day from a long time loyal blog reader who is going through a rough life patch, (she remains anonymous below to preserve her privacy), and her email touched me so greatly that it prompted me to share it and then also share with you a personal story, in the hopes it will motivate you to bloom the best you can, in spite of life's challenges.

Letter from my blog reader:

"From reading your blog, it seems you strive to make each day extraordinary. That is how my husband and I have tried to live our life and raise our family. We are doing well, but like many others, we have walked some extreme difficulty with the economic situation, and I suppose one of the things I am pondering most is when to let go of dreams and when to hold on. I pray and study God's word for His leading in my life. However, I find new thoughts and inspiration when I read your blog. For this, I thank you. I admire you and your desire to live an extraordinary lifestyle, and to get to meet or talk to you would be an unbelievable experience for me."

What a sweet lady; I emailed her that I would indeed be willing to speak with her on the phone and would feel privileged to meet her as well!

Now for my personal story:

Of broken arms and writing books...

As most of you know, last year I signed a book contract with one of the largest (Christian) book publishers in the world to write a home-related book. Now for those of you who know me well, it's no surprise that I take my writing deadlines very seriously as a professional writer. So seriously, in fact, that I have never missed a deadline in my 20+ years of freelance writing for magazines, newspapers, and private clients. Yes, really.

But then, I had never broken my right (writing) arm during that time either! Well, as the old cliche goes, there's a first time for everything, and on October 1, 2010, right during the middle of writing my book, I tripped on a broken sidewalk and took a very bad fall after just coming out of my hair salon (at least I had a good hair day!), and there I laid, unable to get up on my own, and in excruciating pain. In physical shock, I faintly remember hearing several people yell, "Oh no, she fell!" from a nearby open-air restaurant, and most thankfully, four Good Samaritans came running to help me.

Hmmm, now I had a broken writing arm, two bunged-up knees and shoulders that were badly bruised and very sore, and my book to complete for a major publisher who had already invested a great deal of time, staff, faith, and money in me as an author. Hello, stress!

Here's what I chose to do:

First of all, I know, no matter what the circumstance, that it is my choice in life, to choose what I will focus on, even when things are tough. I always choose to focus on beauty, and have it around me physically. I choose to also focus on beauty in my mind. During my broken arm recovery, I chose to surround myself with flowers. (With the help of my husband.)

Life Principle: "I will make everything around me beautiful; that will be my life." --Elsie de Wolfe

After my hubby Steve arrived at the broken arm scene to take me to Urgent Care, I chose to ask him to dial 1-800-NOW-PRAY so they could pray me through the situation and hold me in their prayer vigil for the next 30 days. They did, asking God for complete and total healing of my arm. And then, I thanked God for cell phones, Urgent Care, and a devoted a husband who was willing to drop everything during a work luncheon and come running to my aid.

Life Principle: "I am with you and I will help you because I am your God." --Isaiah 41:10, The Bible.

I chose to marshall all my resources, and focus on visualizing the end result rather than the problem, seeing in my mind, my finished book in the home section of bookstores everywhere, fueled by the fact that I was writing a book to help people live a better life.

Life Principle: Focus on the doughnut, not the hole, and realize right answers will come to you.

Some people are flowers in the garden of life. So during my healing time, I chose to email friends and aquaintances I enjoy and admire who I knew would send me positive, uplifting thoughts and prayers, as I have done for them before. They did indeed, and true to form, they also made me laugh, (what a gift!), in spite of some big challenges in their own lives. I admire them as people for a number of reasons, one being that I've observed them come through their own personal and family adversities with fortitude, and grace.

Life Principle: As my hubby Steve says, "When adversity happens, you just never know who'll step up to help you in some way, large or small. And then, you should always pay it forward." Yep. :)

I thanked God for my organizational skills! Because of them, my hubby Steve and I were able to keep things running smoothly at home, albeit with the help of hiring two (very kind) home health care aids. Strangers I had never met, the home health care aides had to help me shower and dry off, go to the bathroom, shop for and cut my food, (I couldn't drive), wash my hair etc. while my hubby worked...and yes, it was humbling for an independent and high-spirited Type A personality like me, but I considered patience another life lesson I needed to learn, and I thanked God daily for the opportunity for that lesson. Easy to do? No. Necessary? Yes!

I also thanked God for my (pink!) laptop computer and for the fact that because I broke my arm just below the elbow, I could still use my wrists and fingers to type, and had a sling, rather than a cast. Hallelujah! The book could still get written, from my bed, albeit slowly, but written. I asked the Good Lord to give me grace and infuse my spirit and tired and hurting body with extraordinary strength and healing. He did, and like a hurdle-jumper at a track meet, I vowed that I would scale that height!

Life Principle: Focus on what you have, not what you don't. (Kind of like the donut, not the hole! :)

I thanked God that better hair days were ahead! (Now now, my friends, don't think I'm vain until you've never been able to wash and style your own hair for six weeks!) Then, and only then, you can judge me! LOL :)

Life Principle: Only your hairdresser knows. (Oh yeah, and Lady Clairol!)

I thanked God every day that I have an amazingly devoted and kind husband, who after nearly 31 years of marriage, took good care of me and who still brings me gifts like the one above that says: "Swans mate for life. Love, Steve." Now here's a guy who understands the word perseverance: He asked me out on a date six times before I said yes! What was I thinking?! Lucky me that he never gave up! And ditto, I still adore him! :)

Life Principle: "A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person." --Mignon McLaughlin

Of books, and no more broken arm...

I am happy to report, with God, my hubby, and my arm X-rays as my witnesses, that I submitted my book manuscript several days before my deadline! And I am also happy to report that my book editor liked the book very much, requested only a few edits, and as of today, the publisher has chosen the final title, the manuscript is being laid out to look like a book, and the cover design will be finished in the near future. Praise God!

Oh and one last thing: My arm healed without further ado, and is fully functioning, thanks to Urgent Care, my FAB holistic M.D., and several talented and kind massage therapists who kept my shoulder from freezing up and kept me typing away!

Life Principle: Bloom all the days of your life, in spite of life's challenges, and praise God, from whom all blessings flow!

'Til Next Time!

Kathryn :)

www.KathrynBechenInk.com

"Where Beauty, Order, & Business Bloom!"