July 2003

"The Hurrier I Go, The Behinder I Get."

For the last few days I have been trying to remember this old Amish saying. I first heard it when I was 12 or 13 years old. Only being able to remember part of it, I went to my trusty Google search. Once there, I typed in what I could remember. Before I knew it, there was the whole saying. I was impressed. Is there anything one can’t find on the Internet?

This month I’d like to talk about what I feel is the truth in the above statement.

As we wound down the school year last month and entered into another summer I can’t help but think how "fast paced" our world has become. People rushing around in an all-fired hurry in every direction. Do they even know where they’re headed? Do I? Some days I wonder…

I have to confess falling into this trap the last few months. What with getting the books ready to publish, finding an illustrator, setting up book signings, TV appearances and that was all before the books were even published.

After publication there were Author Visits at local Elementary Schools and newspaper articles to do. Then followed the Web site and getting that up and running. (And you know how that went.) Last month we added an E-Book of "The Rocking Chair Rescue" to our bookstore. We are still working on making "Too Much For One Lifetime" into an E-Book as well. Be sure to stop by soon and hopefully it will be ready for you. And we thank you for your patience.

We are enjoying every minute of this madness mind you. Well almost every minute and I’m not complaining in the least but I am glad it looks like it is slowing down just a bit. It’s good to be able to stop and take a deep breath now and then. I think it helps one to see where we have been and to see what needs doing next.

It seems to me that people just don’t have time for one another anymore. Shopping has become more of a nightmare than usual. (I have never been "a shopper")

Mom use to say, "They’re running around like a chicken with its head cut off." And until you have seen a chicken runaround with his head cut off, you just can’t appreciate the full impact of that statement.

But that’s how it seems to me, people running in all directions, not able to do their job very well because they are under so much pressure from their bosses, who, are under pressure from their boss. Does no one believe in customer service? They don’t bother to listen to what it is you want or need, they’re too busy trying to get everything done. And frankly I don’t want to hear about their problems, after all, I have things to do.

For many years I have wanted a porch swing, but never had a porch. This desire began after reading a series of books that told of a country family’s life. In these books the author described how every evening they would gather on the front porch for a swing and to enjoy the cool evening breeze. I envied the way they exchanged stories of the day’s events, it kinda reminded me of the Walton’s on their front porch. The author described them sitting on the swing, sipping cold lemonade as they would lazily kick at the floor with one foot to keep the swing going. Oh how I wanted to be on that swing!

Well last month I finally broke down and purchased a porch swing, although, I suppose it is more a "back patio swing." Nevertheless, it’s close enough.

I enjoy the cool breeze that seems to come along every evening to clear away the last heat of the day. As I sit, slipping away from the hustle and bustle of life, I listen to the birds singing their evening song or, is it that they’re calling home their mates? There’s a woodpecker still busy at work on a near-by tree.

Until I finally stopped and listened, I hadn’t noticed all the amazing sounds that go on around me. Some evenings, I can hear the shouts and cheers of a baseball game at the near-by elementary school.

The newspaper I take out with me often goes unread. I can’t seem to take my eyes off the beauty around me. The mountains that surround me feel like a huge protective gate keeping out the frazzled world beyond. You know, those hurried people out there don’t know what they’re missing.

Sometimes, children play in the park behind our home. As they come flying down the hill on their bikes, I marvel that they don’t kill themselves. Then, just as the streetlights come on at dusk, I hear their mothers calling them. I close my eyes and remember evenings of long ago when my brother and I had to be home before dark.

Once our bikes were put away and we were safely inside, we’d get washed up. It always felt good to get the day’s grime off. Before bed, we’d have a snack at the kitchen table. Sometimes we’d talk about what we had done that day and sometimes we wouldn’t talk at all. Either way, I suppose it was like the country family in my book. It felt good, just being home.

I have taken many evenings off since getting my swing, and I have a strong feeling I will be taking many more off this summer. So if this memo is a bit late in being posted, well, you’ll have to forgive me. Somehow I don’t think the world will come to an end because of it. I also doubt the world would fall to pieces if we all just slowed down and enjoyed this wonderful life we have been given…before it’s too late.

Next months memo won’t be posted until after the 10^th. I’ll be updating you on The Cherryville Festival of the Arts. What? You haven’t heard about that? Then jump over to the "News" tab and check out the latest.