“The strongest oak of the forest is not the one that is protected from the storm and hidden from the sun. It’s the one that stands in the open where it is compelled to struggle for its existence against the winds and rains and the scorching sun.” – Napoleon Hill
Hello, Reader and Writer Friends! I hope this post finds you well and blessed with the energy, time, and resources you need and deserve. I am grateful to you and wish you joy. The past few weeks have brought both expected and unexpected news, tasks, challenges, joys, and sorrows to my little corner of the planet, and I suspect they may have to yours also.
Changes of season, the holidays, national and world events, community and family celebrations, work, play, plans, and the shadow of illness and even death for some have been on the hearts and minds of many.
This week in my little town we’ve lost a young woman to suicide. The tragic and violent event has left many of us in shock, and the pain is palpable. And yet, standing right beside that horror, we also have grace in the shape of a group of dear people who planned and cooked and decorated our community center, and fed everyone in town who wished to come. And we had the Christmas tree lighting in the park, followed by fireworks. And we have a live nativity on Main Street coming in a few days. And I’m going to Disneyland with my grandkids next week. And yet, a friend’s cat died and one of our own adopted cats disappeared (you see how the sadness creeps back in). And yet, I got a surprisingly good medical report from my doctor. And in the netherworld of being a writer, I began another round of manuscript submissions today, sending out queries to six publishers.
The light shifts, the wind blows.
We manage as best we can, remembering that the strongest oak
is the one that stands in the open.
LakeArrowheadLadyWriter 
Love the quote about the strongest oak. So excited that you are spending time with grandkids and hallelujah for good drs report! Prayers for your town and ours.
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Thank you, Kathy! Prayers always and so much love to you and your beloved family 💕🙏💕!
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Oh this hits home. A dear friend in one my musical groups ended his life. We feel the loss and grieve with his wife. Yet we celebrate him with her and the good memories. His music and his presence still feel close. And how poignant for this season of advent. We celebrate a birth against a backdrop of the resurrection. I guess the lone oak feels both.
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So sorry about your dear friend. I think you’re right about the lone oak. 🙏
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I’m so sorry about the young woman and the pain her family must be going through right now.
Good luck with your next round of querying, Lori. It only takes one.
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Thank you, Pete. It’s been so hard. So hard. Your caring heart helps. 💕
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I am so sorry for the terrible loss of the young woman your town. there is simply no making sense of it and your a left with a deep hole in your heart to fill. life is full of so many ebbs and flows
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Thank you for your kind comment, Beth. I appreciate you.
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That’s a good lesson for characters, too. If there’s too much of a good thing, or too much of one problem after another, readers might get bored or even put a book down and walk away. Wishing you a wonderful holiday season, Lori!
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Thank you, Christine! You are so right! Happy Holidays to you! And hugs!
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I’m sorry about the loss of someone in your community:( but also love to hear the good news. This time of year gets tough as i get older, thinking about certain people who I no longer see. Life is strange and sweet. Can’t wait to see your gorgeous smile in a few days and create some amazing Christmas 🎄 memories! Love you!
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Thank you for writing, Hayley! I, too, am very excited we’ll be together soon and grateful for the chance to build more family Christmas memories! I love you all so much!❤️🎄❤️
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This time of year is hard on so many people. Sorry to hear about the death in your community. Best wishes on your manuscript submissions!!
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Thank you so much for your care and compassion, Marie. It is so comforting. ❤️ And thank you for your good wishes on my submissions! I really appreciate your writing to me, and am sending you all my best wishes too! Have a wonderful week!
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my heart aches for you and your community. Lori. I know well as it keeps hitting us all everywhere. Much love❤️
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Thank you so much for caring about us, Cindy. It means so much. Much love to you and yours, too. 💕
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I’m so sorry to hear about the woman’s passing, Lori. Our son lost a friend to suicide when they were 14, so I understand a little of what you’re going through. It’s tragic, to say the least, but community coming together is a beautiful contrast. I wish you all the best with your queries and have no doubt you’ll greet success eye to eye with a smile. Have fun at Disneyland too; one of my favorite places. ❤️
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Thank you, Lauren. I’m so sorry about your son’s friend. It’s a terrible loss. And it must have been especially hard for your son to lose a friend so young. Heartbreaking. I’m anxious to see my daughter and grandchildren and hold them all close. It will be a very special trip. Thanks also for the good wishes on the queries! As a writer, I know you can relate! Sending you love and blessings 💕!
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Sending love and hugs, Lori! ❤️
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💕❤️💕
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I love your beautiful words at the end too, Lori. I forgot to add this. ❤️
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You are the sweetest, Lauren! 💕❤️💕
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This is the message i didn’t know that i needed. Thank you
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I’m so glad it resonated with you, JeanMarie! It’s so kind of you to tell me. Sending you love and hugs. 🥰
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Such a meaningful post, Lori! And some of what you wrote mirrored some of my own experiences over the past week or two, as well. I am so sad for the loss of the young woman to suicide, and for all the people affected by that loss. Having also lost friends and family members to suicide in my lifetime, I know how deeply it affects everyone involved, and always leaves them with unanswered questions. I also loved how you balanced that with all the good being done by people in the community, because that also has enormous impact on others! I am also so sorry that your friend’s cat passed, and that you lost your cat! These events are so heartbreaking! I have spent the last several days worried that my cat was close to passing, but I think she may have some more time with us than we thought, as we got a better prognosis today! You are right about the ebb and flow of life! Congratulations on the great medical report, and on beginning another round of manuscript submissions! Have a wonderful time in Disneyland next week!!!
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I’m so glad your cat is doing better, Anita! I hope you have many more happy days with her! It’s wonderful when concerns about our dear little animal friends are alleviated by better health. It’s terrible when any animal suffers, so it’s wonderful your kitty is improving! I know there is much to be grateful for even in the hard times. I’m sorry you’ve also been through the terrible effects of losing loved ones through suicide. Thank you so much for your care and good wishes! I am sending you mine as well! You are wonderful!😻
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You are wonderful, too, Lori!!! And I am keeping my fingers crossed that your kitty returns!!!
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Bless you, Anita!
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Ah, your interweaving of good and bad is so real and relatable, Lori. The one that stands in the open – yes! I hope Disneyland is so much fun for you all!
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Thank you, Wynne! 💕❄️💕
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❤️❤️❤️
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Thank you for reading, Miranda, and for all the wonderful things you do for our community. 💕❤️💕
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Thank you for writing this Lori. It’s refreshing(?) to read an honest summarization of our pain and joy during this time of year. The highs and lows have come so fast here, it almost feels like whiplash.
I love your last words: 💞
“The light shifts, the wind blows.
We manage as best we can, remembering that the strongest oak
is the one that stands in the open.”🌳
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Thank you for reading and for your kind words, Rose! I value you!!!💕
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