A Matter of Perspective
This newest book I’m writing is doing a great job of kicking my butt. And because it asks me to dig deeply, I’m still marveling at how much I’m also learning. I don’t necessarily recommend you find yourself in the same space I am even though you might also have decided you want to learn more about yourself and . . . well, life. I’m convinced there must be easier ways to do this work, but it seems I’ve found what works for me. Weaving the changes and losses of my own life through and around the courageous experiences of others to help me understand the possibilities of grace beyond grief has been the work of the sacred. Difficult? Oh yes, but well worth it.
Right now, the collection of personal essays and stories of loss I’ve ghost written for others is without a name. My work lives within the truths and hopes of the bereaved; it highlights how grace can intercede to soothe and ease the inevitable grief we suffer when profound loss and death enter our lives. It’s becomes a reclamation project: heavy work, filled with light. But, since I’m finally getting closer to finishing the job of compiling pieces of each of the nineteen stories within eight different essays, it’s a bit troublesome that I’ve still not found just the right title. Please stay tuned; I have some ideas and may need your help.
The next narrative in the ongoing series I’m posting on my website is titled, Scarlett’s Story. You can find it at www.janenicoletauthor.com. under “Books” in the menu. It is about a lost child, Scarlett Kathryn, her parents, Ashleigh and Parshad, and, ultimately, the grace of unconditional love and shifting perspectives. Different excerpts shared by Scarlett’s parents are a part of two separate essays – “Amazing Grace” and “Gracious Legacy” – in my upcoming book.
The following is a brief introduction to Scarlett’s Story:
“Parshad and Ashleigh believe Scarlett’s story should always live; “it deserves to be told.” They want to share it not only at home with their new daughter, but also with other grieving parents to help them know they are not alone in their loss, and to encourage them to tell their own stories. Tearfully, Ashleigh quietly articulates a heartfelt truth: “Just because she died before she was born doesn’t make her life any less meaningful. . .. She was our life . . . our child.”
“Listening to this story, I am struck by the ever-present concept of perspective – one’s point of view, attitude, outlook, state of mind – and its ability to be life-altering. Both of the parents give examples highlighting the significance of perspective. It becomes another voice in our conversation – the voice that shares how one’s existence can shift with the turn of life’s kaleidoscope; where a new context, either pleasant or horrid, can instantly become a remodeled reality.”
As always, I send you wishes for the peace and beauty of a grace-filled life.
Jane
