This sentence from This Tender Land immediately struck me as a great one, but I’ve struggled with writing about it for weeks. So, on a three-hour car trip with my husband, with nothing but gators on the roadside and asphalt stretched out ahead, it seemed like the perfect time to explore why this particular line popped off the page.

Differing Opinions

When I asked my husband for his opinion, he said, “Well, if a hot chick is a ‘see u next Tuesday’ then her outward beauty doesn’t matter.” I said, “WHAT??? That’s not what it means, you’re not helpful at all.” A few minutes later, I realized he was helpful. We have different perspectives—the line is about the power in that.

Let the light in

A diamond in the dark is just a rock. The daylight reveals its beauty, but it’s not simply the light shining through it that makes it beautiful—it’s the way my unique eye perceives it. The way I hold that diamond up to the light, turning it until I see the exact sparkle I want, and how I feel at that moment—that’s what makes it beautiful. That’s powerful.I think of that light as the lens through which I view the world, and I can change that anytime I want.

My favorite saying from a Dale Carnegie book is, “Act enthusiastic and you’ll be enthusiastic.” Sounds ridiculous to anyone who hasn’t tried it, but if you jump up and down and smile, your mood changes. Will it change circumstances? Of course not. But the ability to alter how I feel at a particular moment? That’s a formidable tool.

Today, I need a reminder of that power.

I’ve no paying job. With one kid in college and the other graduating high school next year, the only beings competing for my attention are my husband and my dog. Besides a dinner plan, all I think about are the two manuscripts I’ve written that have yet to attract an agent’s attention. I’m deep into revisions on both of them and embroiled in anxiety over what to do when I’m finished editing. Self-publish? Write another one? Give up?

May the force be with me 

This past weekend, I listened to a podcast featuring five recently published authors and how they found agent representation. One of them talked about giving up and how collecting rejections is so demoralizing. Another writer said if you can quit, you should. He said writing is something you should do because it pours out of you, because sharing your stories means something so important to you that can’t imagine not writing. You hold a finished work in your hand, published or not, you’re a writer.

I’m a writer. I’m a light shining word jewels on pages. Yup, that’s powerful stuff.

Thank you, William Kent Krueger, this is one great line.

If you can relate to this great line, I’d love to hear from you! Please scroll down and leave a comment.

If you’d like to read more about This Tender Land, click here.

If you’d like to read about me, and why I started this blog, click here.