For Patience-Please

It's come to my attention that my friend Patience at Patience-please might be having a tough day. I think this because her blog today says"Be warned - not my usual post". Patience's posts are often funny and always meaningful. "Poignant" someone described them to me once.

So, loyal follower that I am, I read her blog. Expecting something decidedly un-Patiencey, like mindless drivel or something insensitive about animals and small children. This is not the case.

Patience rewound the video of her life and tried to decide if she's made good choices. She's taking a moment to reflect on missed opportunities. And she's feeling selfish and guilty and unentertaining for blogging about it. Huh? "Selfish" and "unentertaining" aren't even allowed in the same zip code with Patience.

First, she wrote an excellent blog, everyone should take a moment to ponder the lessons of the past. They guide the path of the future. Second, if she hadn't traveled the road of Patience, she wouldn't have been able to write that blog. Or her first and second books. And I'm willing to bet that Patience wouldn't be nearly as entertaining to us all if she kept a cattery, or showed poodles. Nothing against poodles, I'm just sayin'. And heaven help us if she'd learned to knit.

It is, I think, the hallmark of a really good writer to be able to look backward and be able to use that energy and those lessons to push forward. I know it drives me. Drives me crazy and up a wall and bonkers sometimes, but drive it does.

Patience is going back to full-time nursing. She's not exactly thrilled about the occupational adventure, but I am. There are going to be some totally awesome and funny stories. (THAT, my friend, is me being selfish.)

And they will be poignant.