Tuesday, January 09, 2007

There are signs everywhere

I believe in signs. On the way home from the post office yesterday, I saw a rainbow. Now I realize that rainbows are simply prisms formed when light is refracted by water. But I choose to see the rainbow as a sign that all is well, and that good things are coming my way.

Why this particular rainbow brought tears to my eyes is anyone’s guess. At the moment my life is good. My family is healthy and I anticipate a productive and fabulous year. But tear up I did. I thought about the things I am grateful for besides my family. Good friends. A growing a loyal readership. A muse that chugs along like a fine workhorse and hasn’t failed me yet. The support and encouragement of my editors and agent.

And okay, chocolate and that I love to bake. (Getting those fat calories from homemade goodies is so much tastier than from the bought kind :-)). Great wine. Good movies, Grey’s Anatomy, Project Runway, Democracy Now!, books and magazines.. I could go on and on, but I’m starting to bore myself.

The thing is, that sign, that rainbow, boosted my spirits (after I wiped away the tears) and reminded me that life is beautiful—a wonderful thing.

There are signs all around us if we bother to see them. I don’t know about you, but I plan to keep my eyes open.

What signs have you seen lately? I’d love to know.

4 comments:

Christie Craig said...

Ann,

I can't tell you how much your blog hit home. Seriously. I had the same experience a few months back. Let me share.

My husband was driving and I looked up and saw the mostly beautifully sunset. Waves of purples and pinks, covered in a thin gray lace. But the crazy thing was...it spoke to me. I know, I'm wierd. But it did speak. A voice echoed inside my head. "You are on the horizon. You are going to make it big. Just keep your faith. You have arrived."

I started crying. Serious big tears. I told my husband, and when I got home and emailed my faithful critique partner, Faye Hughes, and told her. She suggested I get myself committed. (Just kidding, she totally believes in signs.) I wanted to believe what the sunset said, but...Make it big? How could I make it big when I didn't have but two books out and one had been there for a year. And my agent had just sent out one book to Triskelion, but they had said it would be three months before they would be back to her. And in understanding of the message... "big" meant, more than one book. Plus, I had ONLY gone 12 years without a contract. Could I really put my faith in a talking sunset? I did the best I could by just keeping moving foward.

But darn if that sign wasn't on the mark. Within six weeks, practically on the same day, I had a three-book contract with Dorchester and a one book contract to Triskelion.

Now my husband is constantly taking me outside in the evening to look at the sunset wanting me to read his fortune.

So...Ann, I love signs. And I think you are so right. If we open our eyes, the signs are there.

CC

Anonymous said...

Great post, Ann.

And, Christie, your weirdness has nothing to do with signs. *grin*

Faye

JoAnn Ross said...

I LOVE these stories. And, although we all know I don't believe in resolutions, I am going to be more diligent about keeping my eyes open for signs. But then, thinking about it, does that mean I also have to notice -- yikes! -- dark portents of doom? :)

gailbarrett said...

I've always felt that the full moon talks to me (no, I am not a werewolf). It feels portentous, for some reason.