HOLIDAYS AND THE BEST LAID PLANS
By
Vicki Hinze
Today is Thanksgiving. It’s a time for feasting and family and for remembering the history of the holiday. (Hint: If you don’t recall that, read last Thursday’s article on it, on George Washington and the true meaning of the holiday.)
Many are associating Thanksgiving not as the day of gratitude intended but as the day before the kickoff of the holiday shopping season—Black Friday and Cyber Monday—and now “pre-Black Friday” events. This redirection is how holidays are diminished in value, forever changed, and traditions are lost. Our histories and the sense of who we are, and why we are who we are, become diffused. It’s up to each of us to assure that we, and those we love, aren’t redirected and our collective roots aren’t forgotten. For if we do not hold fast to these things, what we lose then is our heritage.
That said, there are times when life intercedes and we become victims to it. Writers, like many others, have no official down time, so when something happens that sidelines us, we’re just sidelined and we have to accept it.
Case in point. Weeks ago, I had surgery. It should have been a couple of weeks down and then I’d be back to normal. Only life interrupted. The surgery was more extensive than expected, and as a result, the recovery time is taking substantially more time than expected.
Bottom line, I find myself still sidelined, which is inconvenient at best and causing complications that impact me and others. It is our collective best laid plans that have been waylaid. A new collection with four other authors (Rita Herron, Peggy Webb, Regan Black and Kathy Carmichael) titled Christmas Heroes is to launch on November 29th. That’s Black Friday, November 29th. And the five-novel collection was to launch with a live chat Facebook party announcing a special sale. Problem is, I’m not up to it. Fortunately we hadn’t announced the event—that was to come earlier this week. But we knew then I wouldn’t be able to do it. Fortunate, that. And despite all the planning, the situation can’t be helped. Still, it is a disappointment for me and for the group.
So when things like this happen, what’s a writer to do?
We’re doing what we can do—just as my family had to alter our Thanksgiving plans. In other words, whether personal or professional, one can gripe and complain (which accomplishes nothing constructive) or one can punt. We’re punting.
The authors are doing what they can do to make readers aware that this collection exists and is on sale at a drastically reduced price ($6.99 for $.99) for a limited time. As for me, I’m going to give away multiple copies of Christmas Heroes to those who like and share the post on my Facebook page (vicki.hinze.author). Those who leave a comment will be entered twice for the random drawings. This is what I can do and so I will do it and hope it’s enough.
Regardless of the nature of our business or personal life, we plan, we work, we do our best. Sometimes it’s enough. Sometimes it’s not. We don’t know ahead of time which way things will work out. But if we do what we can do when we can do it, then we can be at peace with knowing we’ve tried. There isn’t one among us who hasn’t learned that the best laid plans can be wrecked by circumstances out of our control. We can’t change that. That leaves us with a choice: We can fight it knowing we’ll lose and suffer the consequences of that destructive position, or we can make peace with a constructive attempt to do what we can. Which we choose is up to us and felt by those impacted by our choice.
Constructive or destructive, I’ll take constructive every time. Peace is far more desirable than the chaos that comes with fighting the inevitable.
Because that’s true, peace with your best laid plans and your circumstances and with the way things work out for you is my wish for you this Thanksgiving.
All of us at Social In wish you and yours many blessings, much joy and peace.
————————————————-
Vicki Hinze is the award-winning, USA Today bestselling author of nearly thirty novels in a variety of genres including, suspense, mystery, thriller, and romantic or faith-affirming thrillers. Her latest releases are: Duplicity (military romantic thriller,) Torn Loyalties (inspirational romantic suspense), Legend of the Mist (time-travel romantic suspense), One Way to Write a Novel (nonfiction). She holds a MFA in Creative Writing and a Ph.D. in Philosophy, Theocentric Business and Ethics. Hinze’s online community: Facebook. Books. Twitter. Contact. www.vickihinze.com.
© 2013, Vicki Hinze
