Just do it…..
Recently we traveled to California. We stopped in Paso Robles to visit a favorite winery. The vineyard was beautiful, as was the wine…but, the connection with one of the hostesses is what has stayed.
You know how it is, when you meet someone and you have that instant connection, that’s how it was with Kim. Not only did she have the same name as my dearest friend for thirty plus years, but she had that same spunk and infectious smile Kim has; easy to talk with and comfortable.
We told Kim why we had made our way to this particular winery; it was the first ‘real’ wine we had years ago and how it became our favorite whenever we could scrap up enough pennies to buy it’…then she shared her own experience with this winery.
One thing led to another, looking at her children’s pictures and stories; pictures of our family and grandkids; that we were taking a three week car tour from Texas to Sonoma where we would meet our adult kids and celebrate my son in law turning 40 and my turning 65…as Bob added “and to celebrate Sousanna’s book being published”…and that’s where it became intimate and personal.
Kim responded with such determination and conviction, “I’ve always wanted to write a book. I have a story to tell.”
I put my hand on hers across the counter that separated us, leaned in and said, “Do it. Tell your story. Write it down, just do it.”
Resigned she responded, “I want to but just haven’t been able to sit down and do it, it’s hard.”
We had a connection, “Kim, just do it. We all have a story and our stories all matter and are important. Writing our stories, whether just for ourselves, just for our families, or for the public, is freeing. People like to say it is ‘healing’, and yes, it is that. But more so; if you write long enough, quietly enough, honestly enough, you end up finding yourself all over again in ways the years have hidden from you. The people you loved, or didn’t love, take on a new image; actually, a more realistic image…and sometimes forgiveness comes from looking ‘in retrospect’ at an experience that got lost in the moment of life. Write Kim!”
She came around and hugged me, “I’m going to, thank you for encouraging me.”