I have just begun reading, American Stories, by one of my newest favorite authors, Charlie Weiner, aka, K. Adrain Zonnerville.  It always takes me a chapter plus to get mesmerized by his storytelling and descriptions of life as seen and approached by his characters.  This morning, waking early, as usual, I picked up the book and began my day reading.  I stopped at the point when the main character identifies that she is a collector of sorts.  She collects stories!  I realized at that moment in time why this book as well as the sequel that I read first, speak to me.  I too am a collector, not of stories, but of people.

Don’t get nervous; I am not collecting people and keeping them bound up.  I am collecting people, like you, and me and encouraging them to live free, sing, dance, and express themselves in the medium that provides them joy.  I am not a Pollyanna and do not expect that happiness means never feeling sad, angry, unappreciated, or any negativity.  What I do expect at least from myself is to face each obstacle with as much positive energy to move around it or through it when the Wonder Woman in me pushes onward.

I have spent the better part of my almost 69 years trying to be like you, and I now know, I want to be me.  I once believed in the lyrics sung by Frank Sinatra, “All of me Come on get all of me Can’t you see I’m just a mess without you…”  Spending one’s life trying to fit in when you feel like the square peg in the round hole, is not living.  However, lessons can be learned, and one day you may wake up and become a collector of sorts.  As I gather new friends and revive relationships with old friends, I appreciate how precious life is.  It is a gift to follow our journey and share our experiences.  We are all guides in this amazing universe.

Although Carrie, the main character in American Stories may be dying, in reality, she is alive.  She teaches us that death does not have to destroy; it can be a lesson that teaches us how to fulfill dreams and appreciate each other.  By taking one step in front of another, we can create a path that provides us joy as we journey forward.

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