NaNoWriMo is Over... Time for Reflection

December 12th, 2008

So November is over, the smoke has settled, the snackfood wrappers have all been eaten by the dog, and the fingers are recovering from the rapid and rabid fury of pounding out thoughts directed at a story of some Significance.

The final chapter written, the Characters all have had some closure to the Great Adventure that they were embroiled in, and the final lines have opened up for the great and glorious Sequel that inexhorably follows the wondrous tale.

If the brakes don't fail, the Sequel will wait in its impatient cubbyhole of the brain, for another November and another wonderful flurry of frenzied NaNoWriMo.

What in the world is NaNoWriMo, you may ask? Click on the links to see. But for those who really don't trust links, (how did you get here, perchance??) it is an insane commitment to write 50,000 words toward a Story, during the 30-day span of November. It is fun! It is exciting! It is crazy! (No, really, you might need a mental exam before and after, but after the smoke clears, you will at least have a Story.)

Christmas is fast approaching. The tree is up, taking over the living room and calling attention to itself with every blinking light. 'Christmas is coming! Are you ready?'

The presents are ordered (online) and our family is almost halfway through the celebration of Advent and the obligatory joy of reading through our Advent Story. (Yes, I have another story, too.)

Our family will enjoy this Christmas break, even if it kills us all. We'll read through the chapters of the Advent Story every night, listen to the accompanying music, and suck on the candy from the Advent Calendar, and perhaps reflect on the story, and the true and wonderful, joyful reason why we celebrate this season at all.

And perhaps, just perhaps, the lightbulb will click on and we'll come out of this season changed. Yes, changed for the better, caring about others, seeing them through God's eyes, giving thanks for the blessings we have, and not panicking about the future and what it might hold.

For, although I cannot say what the future holds, I know Who holds the future.
:-)

Have a Merry Christmas!