Cindy Jacks: Life Experience

Dear Reader,



New authors always hear that to write one has to have life experience. Some writers go to great lengths to obtain said experience—scaling K2, skydiving, carrying on ill-advised affairs, traveling to exotic locales. As if being a Richard Branson/James Bond wannabe is the only way to fuel a manuscript.

This morning I'm overwhelmed as usual. I've got edits waiting in my inbox, a thousand words to write, website updates to work on, not to mention the daily workout, a mountain of dirty clothes threatening to revolt and seize the laundry room, a stack of bills eying me up—they look bent on revolution as well—and some spring cleaning that really shouldn't have waited until spring.

Amidst this chaos, my son asks, “Mom, will you come to school and watch me sing this morning?”

I hold in a grimace because I know it's not the response he deserves. Like I said, I'm just feeling overwhelmed. Instead I smile and reply, “What time are you singing?”

“I don't know...Hey, you could drive me to school and ask my teacher.”

Again, hold in that scowl, Cindy. Deep yoga breathing. Remember, in another five or six years he'll be embarrassed by your very existence. “Okay,” I say.

Once we get to the school I sign in at the office and walk him to his kindergarten classroom. Turns out they're singing in the cafeteria in about thirty minutes. No sense in going home so I stay and help the class get ready for their performance.

Finally showtime has come. The kids line up single file. I watch my boy as he shuffles with the other kids down the hall. He's taller than everyone else in his class. This isn't new, he's always been big. Still, I can't help but wonder just when he grew up so much.

I take a seat in the cafeteria and make small talk with another mother until the principal announces it's time for the kindergarteners to sing. They're celebrating the one hundredth day of school. The song selection? Earth, Wind and Fire's Celebration. DS has been torturing me with a never ending chorus of it all month around the house. But this time, I don't mind hearing it. In fact, I'm impressed that he's memorized all the words. He's singing loud and clear and my parent's hearing picks out his voice out from those of his classmates. His face is alight with joy; his eyes sparkle. Mine start to prickle with tears. Yeah, I'm that mom, but I don't care.

When the kids finish their song, the audience claps and cheers for them. My son slips me a shy wave and I give him a thumbs up. At this, he gives himself a round of applause. The students mill around until a teacher leads them off stage. I hang around until the line disappears through the double doors. Time to go home and get back to my giant to-do list.

In the car on the way home, it occurs to me that one really doesn't have to go to extremes to appreciate the world or capture the zeitgeist of our society. Life happens around us every day, if we only take the time to notice. With my family, my friends, and a daily appreciation of life's blessings, I know I'll always have plenty to write about.

Cindy has two new releases coming soon from Moongypsy Press. A fan of romantic comedy? Pick up a copy out All the Good Men in print, ebook or Kindle edition, May 2010. Dark mystery/suspense more your cup of tea? Check Cindy writing as CJ Elliott. Clean releases in print, ebook, and Kindle edition also this summer!



Cindy's links


Website: http://cindyjacks.com/
Blog: http://cindyjacks.blogspot.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/author.cindy.jacks
E-mail: cindy@cindyjacks.com