Memoir Nears Completion

Following Four Years of Devoted Attention

I’m back! It’s been a while. Though my time has been devoted to the completion of my memoir, I apologize for not having appeared here more frequently.

So many things happen in the course of a summer that it’s difficult to parse through the magical as well as the pragmatic moments of a summer spent primarily sitting at my desk, my eyes on a computer screen, surounded by piles of papers and books.

You’ve previously heard the story of my childhood experiences travelling outside of space and time through a living grasshopper’s eyes, right? Since those earlier years, though I rarely see them hopping in the green grasses surrounding my home, grasshopper has continued to occupy a deep space in my heart and soul.

Imagine then, that on a day I was stuck, struggling, exascerbated, contemplating trashing an entire chapter, when, on a break for a bite to eat, I was greeted by a grasshopper sitting atop our outdoor grill.

Picking her up, I found she was listless, near death; holding her in my hands, I spoke soothing, comforting words, to her and whispered my appreciation that she’d chosen to share her final moments with me. She died in my hands. Carrying her limp body to my desk, preparing a small alter to honor her life, I placed her there, beside my computer.

How she’d arrived atop my outdoor grill, where she’d come from, and why she’d chosen this day to pop in, was a mystery I couldn’t untangle in my rattled mind. Knowing I would be able to visit with her in another dimension of reality, I journeyed to her spirit, seeking further understanding about her arrival and subsequent death.

Paraphrasing our conversation, she said:

Dory, I’ve been your special spirit companion since you were four years old. Today, as an embodied being, I dropped in to remind you of the sacred pact we made more than seventy years ago. We agreed to help each other in times of trouble.

You’e done your part by actively speaking about the dangers of spreading herbicides and pesticides on land where my descendants, and other insects have struggled to survive over the past few decades.

I’ve arrived today, where I knew you’d see me, to remind you that all is sacred, that destroying the words that have poured from your heart, onto pages of your memoir, would be no different than eradicating grasshoppers by spreading poisons. Do not destroy your work!

Get back to your computer, pick up where you left off; remember that I’m always by your side!

Look at those eyes! Aren’t they enormous and precious!

Returning from the journey, I sat at my computer and completed the chapter that had been challenging me for a couple of days.

With great joy, I recently transmitted my completed memoir to my editor!

Expecting to receive her comments, suggestions, and edits, sometime around Labor Day, I’m able to imagine the possibility of having it in print by the end of this year. Green Fire Press has accepted my memoir for publication; they’re ready to roll when it’s completed.

Now that the bulk of the writing is done, I anticipate that incorporating my editor’s changes and suggestions will take about two months. Regardless, I’ll be popping in here with much greater frequency than in the past few months.

I’ll keep you all up to date with my progress and will also be sending you further information about how you might support the publication of my four+ years of deep digging into my story of overcoming adversity.

Blessings and good wishes, Dory