The Next Chapter

Dedicated to Bill and Stacy

"I trust the next chapter because I know the author"

Wow, right!?

This message has been sitting on my heart since I unwrapped it recently. A Christmas gift from my in-laws, one they probably consider as late. I, however, believe that it was received right on time.

See, I've been sitting on a blank page and had been asking myself what exactly I thought was to happen next. I mean, it seems I have been blindly "trusting the process" thus far; and just look, here we are!!

Yes, here we are.

As a result of their thoughtful gesture of support, I can only say thank you. I'm not sure they will ever understand the depth of thought and emotion those words invoked and provoked within my inner writer, let alone my inner poet!

I'm not sure I have the courage to tell them what came next. That their unwavering faith and love, stopped me right there with the words "but do I?" And before my next breath, "Am I the author writing the story or am I just the narrator of a story already written?"

I pause and ask.

Am I the author or the narrator of a story written in invisible ink but am in a life-or-death decision to trust in a future I cannot see. And yet, I sure spend a lot of time looking for validation from the universe that I am headed in the right direction.

Always looking for a sign from something with more wisdom than me so that when things don't go my way, I have some where to place the blame instead of examining the choices made when trusting my own intuition.

The next chapter.

I thought the book was finished when I went back and corrected the errors and mistakes. I can't say for sure what happens next, but a pause in the story was necessary for character growth and reflection.

Thank you, (Dad) Bill and Stacy for the reminder of how I got here in the first place. Much love to you both, as angels forever a part of my story. Thank you for the belief you have in me.

As it turns out, I may stray off the path and quit listening for a minute, but I always have hope and faith in the next chapter(s) because I do know the author and trust it's all designed by the universe as part of a greater good.

Let's just say, I will be as surprised as you at how it all ends.

Until next time,

T. McB