As time goes by, we learn.

We learn we can be alone, and, its

sometimes good, and sometimes not.

We learn to put our hopes on today;

our dreams are real, but gracefully

accept.

We struggle, we stumble, we grow and

we learn, that each new step in this

direction will turn.

Our days will be sunny.

That goodbyes are not final.

That love can bring joy and sorrow,

but we can endure.

So, we search and we find, and nourish

our souls, and finally see what life

can be–

We do find hope, and love for eternity.

We learn.

Lyn Lacoursiere/2005

I’ve been going through some of my old papers today. When I first started writing I went through stages of awareness. There was the journaling that went on for several years, then I tried my hand at poetry and seriously thought I would get into writing for greeting cards. Then over time I tried short stories and wrote dozens of them. Sometimes now, I will look through them and use a certain incident in my present writing. As I was shuffling through files today I ran across some of my poetry which I want to share. I wrote this in 2005 and I guess I was still learning how to live life solo.  Its called;

Friends

Don’t let go yet my friend

Hold out your hand a little longer.

I’m growing, I’m learning and I will be

The kind of person you’d want me to be.

Don’t let go yet–I’m not ready

Be patient, be kind and please understand

It’s easier now if you’re holding my hand.

So please give me time –to plant my

own seeds, and to watch them grow

Soon I’ll be nurished and you will know

It was your hand–my friend.

Hello Catarina; You are indeed a wonderful writer. You know, I’m well into my seventies and during my long life, I’ve had to pick myself up numerous times. I might hide within for a while, but I’ve had the good sense to hurry up and “pick up my shirt tails” and get on with life. l learned many years ago a simple mantra to practice and that is–imagine how you would feel. Being happy, being healthy, being loved–. the list of wishes can go on if you can picture these in your thoughts. Picture it. The thought is if you can see it you can achieve it!

Tomorrow as the first ray of sunlight comes into view, I’m going on a adventure. At that time I’ll know where I want to go and whether it’s the right time or not. Maybe I’ll start out walking with out anything along to identify who I am. Or just maybe I’ll fly to the far east and be a princess. Then too, maybe I’ll go to Las Vegas and stay forever. The days can ramble on, one after the other and I won’t be concerned; about age, time or destination.  My mind can wander like my body and who will care. Hyacinths for the soul and milk for the brain. The lawn mower goes on, the constant drone is paralizing my brain, the falling grass is mesmerizing. I’m at the edge of a green abyss going down, sliding, clawing my way holding on. The grass grows, my thoughts go on, my dreams prevail.

You know, as a writer you have to take time out, get all dressed up and go out and market you books. Until I’d finished my third book, I just hid my work in the closet and closed the door. I was just happy sitting at my computer in my old robe with a cup of coffee. Now I’m not a professional speaker, and it takes all my courage to stand up out in front and talk. The closest I’ve come to doing that is in my job where I talk to people about food, what it’s made from or where it comes from. I wonder am I alone or do other writers feel as I do?

Dear Friends; I am so excited to let you know my third book called Sunsets will be available to purchase through Smashwords and Amazon.  Also, this can be gotten as a nook through Barnes and Nobles. As you know, Nightmares and Dreams and Tomorrow’s Rain, books 1and 2 are there and the fourth called Suddenly Summer will soon be there as well.

My latest book called The Early Years came out in December, and is the story of when and how Lindy and Reed meet in their college days.  Next year, I’m happy to let you know, I have a sixth book in the continuation ready, called Silence.

This fall I decided to give Lindy and Reed a rest, and left them in Birch Lake, and started a new book with new characters and a new venue. Although it’s fun to create new people and circumstances I have to watch myself to not slip back into the ways and thoughts of my old and so familiar people. Although this does take place in Birch, my characters are new and so fun to play with.  My working title so far is Moonbeams Over Their Shoulders.

I will be adding more about the book later.

ps. Don’t forget all my books are available as paperbacks through my web-site and amazon.com

The new year looks promising as I plan to get another book out in the fall of 2012. However, I  do have it written and but now have to coax my two special editors (Judy and Joyce) to look it over and make the necessary corrections, then do another rewrite. Right now, I am taking a break from the Lindy Lewis novels, and have started a completely new book with characters named Daisy and Roma. Two savy women who are in their fifties and single, who met years ago in Minneapolis while married and raising their families. And now meet again years later. There will be mystery, murder and mayhem!

As we were approaching the Christmas holidays one year, I was tired and resented the interruption. Now I had to grasp for more energy and spend extra hours cleaning the corners of the house, cook, entertain and shop.

Why do I do this I mumbled! What a bothersome task, a commercial hype of my time. No, I decided, this year I would just send money and be done with it. No cards, no gifts. Just a Christmas Eve dinner.

It felt wonderful not to tramp from store to store, sweating in my winter coat, staring at lists with glazed eyes puzzling over new-fangled toys, fashionable new colors, vocalists I’d never heard of and videos that used to only suggest. What a relief, I thought to  myself.  A good decision!

I saw other people race around breathlessly, taking time during lunch and every possible evening and week-end to put together their stash of briberies. When someone would ask me if I had my shopping done yet, I said, I wasn’t buying anything this year. I would chuckle at their astonishment, at my audacity to break away from the tradition. Then a raised eyebrow. Well!

Days passed, colored lights abounded on houses and in windows. The atmosphere was charged with everyones expectations of the approaching holidays. Me–, I was relaxing and I must admit, feeling somewhat smug.

Now Christmas Eve was here and company due. I had to quickly get into the store for groceries and then cook. I had planned a simple dinner with a pie for dessert. I rushed into the store and fought my way among the throngs of harried shoppers and found one of the last empty carts. And I began to shop for the items on my carefully made list, but my cart began to fill up, as I suddenly had this uncontrolable urge to buy everything in sight. I had a turkey, a ham, buns, cookies, cider, candy, lefsa and the tradional potato sausage. My hands were flying, and my short list was lost and forgotten amongst the food.

It’s late, much too late to do anything more now, I said to myself as I checked my watch, but I needed to buy some gifts. I had this irrestsistable need to give. Now I cussed myself for not having a list ready just in case. I calculated the time left before the mall closed and I ran.

The evening came much too fast I  was tired now and the house needed dusting, the cupboards were messy and the closets full.

Darn, I said to the walls. Well, I started the oven, opened cans, peeled vegies, found the good tablecloth and dusted the house with a dishtowel. Soon delicious aromas began to come from the kitchen and the windows began to steam up.

Grandma came early and complained of stomach gas and then friends and kids in their outfits of leather, suits and jeans. Some with short hair and long, carrying guitars and videos. As I stood in the middle of this confusion of coats, laughter and hugs my head was in a whirl. The house was vibrating as I busied myself warming cider and browning the buns. I listened to the merriment going on around me as the Christmas carols blared on the stero.

Then I saw it, then I remembered!  This is why we rush around, grasping at bits of energy, overloading our charge accounts and cleaning the far corners of our homes. I saw the warm wonderful feeling of real love, the belonging and acceptance that we all need on this special holiday, amidst the laughter and catching up.

Later, my back hurt and my legs ached as I put things back in order. But almost too late, I found it had all been worth it and the mystery, of why we do it was solved, once again.

Lyn Miller Lacoursiere

Lindy drove her black BMW through the southern states, only stopping at out of the way motels to sleep, shower and change clothes.  She needed to get as far away from Dallas as fast as possible and now she was on the last leg of her journey. By the afternoon she should arrive at her destination; Hilton Head Island, in South Carolina. Beautiful, she murmured, as she crossed the International Waterway and approached the island she had visited once before with Mitzi. They had spent a week together more than ten years ago.Then things had spun off into years of living their busy lives and not keeping in touch. As soon as she was settled she would find Mitzi and make up all the time they had missed. She could smell the Atlantic Ocean now as she drove down the one highway that crossed the island, then passed the complex they had stayed in. However, this time she was going to the plush part of town. She had the money, but first she had to find a bank. And inside of several hours she had put it away in a safe deposit box, but left plenty in her purse to play with. Her thoughts went back to her past as she drove through the small lovely town, excited to be there again, but also lonely to be seeing all this beauty and not having anyone to share it with. Would Dade Lampart have fit in? J.T.? Or Reed Conners?

I have made so many decisions in my life and not all of them have been the “smartest” or that well thought out. But they were and are mine. That’s who I am.                                                    I