You Never Know

Sometimes writing feels like tossing a pebble into a pond.

Instantly gratifying with the good flip of the arm and the all-satisfying "plunk" as it lands in the water. Watching the ripples even provides curious interest to see how long it takes for the ripples to reach the shore.

Writing is like that for me. I love the thrill of creating something that I conjured up. The twinkle of an idea, the laying it down on paper. The toe-curling feeling of having it done and hitting the send button on your e-mail. Then waiting with heartfelt anticipation of having the ripples come back to you with good news.

Only sometimes it takes forever for the ripples to come back. Or sometimes not at all. Usually in unexpected ways.

Last fall, I wrote an article for a network of websites for mommies. They were nice enough to say, thanks and we'll put it in our database of articles. Pretty soon I found it on one local website, then another, then yet another. Today I found it on a website in Hawaii. The ripples keep coming.

And the article wasn't earth-shattering -- it was about ending the morning crazy time. You can see it at www.honolulumommies.com. But it was a pebble that people liked and I love to see how it keeps showing up in unexected ways. You never know.