It’s 11:30 on Tuesday night and I’m thinking about being lucky.
A friend of mine, the soon-to-be-published Abby Wittnebert said something the other night as we were drinking wine at Kristin Harmel’s book party. We were talking about publishing and luck and taking chances, and how bravery frequently pays off.
We were sharing stories, and I told her that it was part of me to take chances, to try to accomplish the things that were in my heart, even if statistics were against me. I always think, even if the chances are one in a million, somebody’s gonna get the big prize/book contract/coffee date with Oprah, it might as well be me. The great thing about it is, I’m lucky a lot. Great things happen to me on a regular basis, and I am both immensely thankful for them, and certain that I have some power steering in the control of my destiny.
“You have to be brave to be so lucky,” Abby said.
I thought about that, and told her about my mom — a person who never uttered the words “most writers can’t make a living” or, the most crushing piece of parental advice ever given, “You should have a back up plan in case (insert dream here) doesn’t work out.”
My mom told me I’d make a great writer. She told me to “go for it” , whatever “it” was. She told me to speak up when I had something important to say. She told me not to learn to type (there was a feminist plan in action here, which served its purpose on my first job, but sadly backfired a bit, as I am now a writer who can barely type.) She told me it was a waste of my talent and life if I didn’t try for the things that set my soul on fire.
“You’re lucky to be so brave,” Abby told me.
And she’s right. I am lucky. It was my mother who gave me the bravery that enabled me to follow my dreams. I spent many years of my early life wondering why some people were afraid to do the thing their heart wanted them to do, to take the chance to get the relationship, the job or the life they really wanted. And I never really understood it, until I was older.
I am lucky to be so brave. I was given wings as a child, when many children end up with their feet and their hopes stuck in cement. They have to break free, and sometimes that takes a very long time. Sometimes, it doesn’t happen at all, and those adults who were once saddled with cement shoes, are never quite able to step out of them.
I am lucky to be so brave. I am lucky to be who I am, to have the family I do, to have the opportunities I have, and to feel empowered to create the opportunities that aren’t immediately before me.
I hope you’re as lucky as I’ve been.
Lovely post. I often wonder how our generation of children will be as adults, because while they might not all have been given cement boots, they have had far more restricted lives, and haven’t been allowed the important opportunity to take risks as we all did when growing up. Of course part of that reason is *because* we took those risks and have seen how for some people risks ended up sometimes being stupid and even dangerous, or worse, deadly. I watch my own kids and see their instinctual need to take those risks and I try so hard to make sure they have the chance to do so, because a child with clipped wings becomes an adult with a fear of trying.
Wow, Lisa. It does take bravery and luck to do this and you certainly have both in spades.
There was some talk of Plan B from certain parental elements in my life but I know that was out of love. And it take a whole other kind of bravery, I suppose, to forge ahead when you know you’re scaring your parents to death!
I second Danielle’s comment that you have both luck and bravery in spades (and talent!!)…how awesome that your mom encouraged you to follow your dreams!!!
This is great. My parents never said never, either. Although they were pretty pleased when I got my teaching certificate “just in case.”) And I now have a great husband who, when I was trying to decide whether to try to juggle writing and teaching (and keep that steady paycheck) or write full-time told me to go for it. As he said, I had this one shot, this opportunity and of course I had to fly with it. Kind of like I said to my son who recently decided he wanted to try to find a job in Seattle after graduation rather than somewhere closer to home here in the Midwest. He’s out there this week interviewing. And the sound in his voice–of adventure and independence and excitement– when he called yesterday thrilled me. And, I have to think Seattle will be a fun town for me to visit.
Do you know why you’re brave, Lisa? Simply put, your mother taught you –at a very early age — to BELIEVE in yourself and you do!
The longer I’ve been kicking around the more I’ve come to believe that my best luck was having parents who loved and supported me. It’s much easier to take off and fly if you’ve got firm ground under your feet.
Hi all!
Sorry for the late response today — I was out at an emergency hair appointment in preparation for my upcoming tour. 🙂
Sadly, it took a big chunk of the day…
Jenny, Danielle & Jess
Thank you so much! I feel very lucky to be in this with all of you 🙂
Judy,
Thanks — you and your son are both lucky. And Seattle is a lovely place to visit.
Larramie–
Thank you so much — I think you’re right. I hope that I can pass that gift along to my own children. And thank you again for your lovely post –we’re so lucky that you are “presenting” all the debs!!
For those who haven’t seen Larramie’s fabulous presentation of the coming debut of FIFTEEN MINUTES OF SHAME, check it out at http://www.seizeadaisy.blogspot.com/
Eileen —
So true!
Thanks all,
Lisa