Friday, April 24, 2009

It's Friday; It's a Good Thing: Attitudes

This week was my son's big fifth grade field trip - one he's been looking forward to for three years. His school does this every year. The kids , in a sort of last bonding experience of their elementary school years, pack into a sweaty, smelly bus and are shipped down the road to Hemlock, a team building park in the woods complete with hiking, zip-lines, rappelling, and a variety of very odd team building centers like the spider web, the peanut butter pit, and the log pull.


Unfortunately, I also committed to going with the boy. And the week before, the weather predictions began. Rain. Rain. Thunderstorms. Possible Hail. Blustery winds. And rain.

I am not a fan of rain. Especially not being out in the rain. I don't do being wet very well. Not that I'm the wicked witch or anything (with that melting problem), but I've spent my years in the rain. Been there, done that.

For days and days I dreaded going out in this stuff. I prayed the line of storms would suddenly vanish, or move off north of us. I wondered if I could use my youngest's recent illness as an excuse to stay home. I dreaded going. I lost sleep over it. I did not want to go!

But when the morning dawned and it became clear that the blustery rain would be a constant presence and I was going to be out in it, I realized I had a choice. I could be miserable and hate it, or I could go with the same attitude my son had: excitement over the possibilities.

I chose to make a quick stop on the way and pick up a rain poncho and dive right in with a smile. Okay, I got a double coffee as well. I'm pretty sure that helped.

Here are some of our wet highlights.




Cold? Yes! Rainy? Yes!! Fun and memorable? Absolutely.

And how does this relate to writing? It's been so easy to get down lately. Some days are good. Some days aren't. I still have several fulls out with no word yet, and a stack of rejections. The book I'm writing now is slow and hard. Really hard some days. And it's easy to let depression have its way.

But really, what's the difference between the good days and the bad?

Attitude.

And a really great writing group that specializes in attitude adjustments. :)

6 comments:

  1. I hate rain too, my writerly friend.

    Let us gaze at our navels and review our CRRRRRAAAFFFFFTTTTT.

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  2. Darnit, she just completely blew away what I was gonna say! (hee hee hee!)

    Um

    I think it was something about rain. Oh yeah. I had to ride in the rain this week. (With a queasy belly. Double yuck) I don't like being wet either but I've had to do it many times. My red horse hated the rain. He'd duck his head in a put his ears back; he'd even squint if we were riding into the rain. That kind of wrecked it for me, if he didn't even enjoy it!

    But sometimes you gotta do it and usually it turns out okay, doesn't it?

    Just like writing....!

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  3. Great weather and writing metaphor. Loved it. Looks like the kids had fun. I know my son would have loved it as well.

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  4. The children look so happy in the pictures! What fun (unless it was cold rain-bleh.) You are right. It is all about attitude. Some days my book is hopeless and some days it is promising...but my book isn't changing as much as my attitude.

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  5. Rain can be very bonding. I've had trips like that!

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  6. i love the one of the boy laughing so hard his face is red ;)

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