Signs

Change is on the horizon and Terri (and her Mom) are weighing in.

The name for this blog post came to me a few days ago. I’m away for my 27th annual GWA-Girls’ Weekend Away-a girlfriend retreat Terri visited as often as she could. Membership requires “tribunal approval” and needless to say, Terri was a shoe in…

For some reason, I’ve been struggling with “seeing” the signs of late. With believing. With keeping my heart open. But then my girl “showed up” with such a vengeance my gut shouted, “Yes, Laurie, it’s Terri! And Jeanne. Listen to them god dammit!”

Open your heart…

“Gracefulwomanwarrior” the manuscript is poised to launch. Phase one is complete. First readers are weighing in and the response is as my heart expected. Terri’s story is one that needs to be told.

But just how to do that has been weighing on me. Navigating the complicated process of publication is overwhelming to say the least. So I carved some time to pick the wise and enlightened brain of my dear friend and author, Christa Johnson as to next steps- copy editing, query letters, self-publishing. The list goes on and on.

Christa’s counsel was invaluable, but our “work session” at Ridgevale Beach in Chatham was cut short. No longer able to deny the fact that the mistiness had now turned into big fat rain drops, we quickly packed our gear. Next steps would just have to wait.

Back at the house my BFF Jo-Ann was quick to point out we needed to “deal with” the overflowing recycling bin. I grabbed the realtor’s number and opened my phone to call. Instead of opening to my home screen, there was an internet page open.

Cape Cod Writers Center: Supporting published and aspiring writers…

WTF???? How the hell did that happen? I showed Christa and Jo, explaining to Jo that Christa and I were literally just brainstorming next steps with Terri’s manuscript. And this appears??? Instead of my home page which always opens first? When I had definitely not searched for any such info on my phone?

Christa meanwhile is sitting there with her big Buddha smile, nodding her head.

“Well of course you have to go,” she challenged.

“Absolutely!” Jo agreed.

So I scrolled through the dates. The courses. And they were right. It was exactly what I needed to do.

“Signs, signs, everywhere signs…”

After a few tears I sat outside, gazing at the beautiful vista of my childhood home, Chatham, and jotted down the name of this blog post and a few sentences.

Fast forward to the next day. A group of us were prepping for our annual pilgrimage to Ptown. Getting into the car I asked my sister Dori which Pandora station she wanted for the ride.

“Laura Nyro.”

As I turned to back down the driveway our eyes locked. Laura’s haunting, melodic voice was singing, “Will You Still Love Me”. Our Jeanne song…

Dori then shared her “sign”. Right before leaving she was sitting on the deck, contemplating the beautiful meandering ocean tributaries. A red cardinal literally landed on the railing in front of her. And just sat there. Staring straight at her.

She felt them both. Mother and daughter. Jeanne and Terri Luanna. Joining us for the trip to our ancestral home. Provincetown…

On the way home my phone dinged. Assuming it was yet another text from my sister Mary coordinating her arrival in the morning, Christa grabbed it off the dash to read aloud since I was driving. But it’s not Mary…

“Hope u r having a fab girls getaway. Both Amy and I got Facebook memories with Terri today. It’s not a coincidence!!! Did you get any signs this trip?”

It’s Terri’s BFF Maureen. The one who organizes Miles For Marisa, the 5k to benefit Marisa’s Educational Fund.

As soon as I get home I text Maureen.

“OMG!!!!! Literally working on a blog post entitled, “Signs”… Such positive energy coming from our girl.”

To which she replied, “OMG!!!!!!!!!!! No shit! I literally hit send to you and got this text from my sister who is working on a collage for her 40th that said, ‘Look at these gems Tyler just found.'”