Art and Life--Way too Close

So, the end of my novel was postponed by my father-in-law's heart attack and bypass, the latter of which went, in medical terms, swimmingly. He's on a bed and looking frail, but Sam is an incredibly tough guy who loves and supports his family, friends, and church with every fiber in his body; surely, with that workout every day for most of his life, he's strong enough to survive this.

I hope that's the reason I haven't finished the novel, and not because I'm afraid of finishing. I mean, once it's finished, you have to edit it, and once it's edited, you have to let someone read it, unless you're Emily Dickinson. I look pretty good in black, but still...

I subscribed to an Irish newsletter a few months ago, partially to feel closer to my subject matter and partially because I COULD WIN A TRIP TO IRELAND!! Well, that part didn't happen. What did happen was I opened my newsletter yesterday and discovered the story a beautiful Irish woman, engaged to (I'm sure) a very lucky guy, who recently died in a house fire that was caused by a faulty wire of some sort. If you've read my other blog, you know that this is the subject matter of the novel that I began three years ago. I read the headline and my blood froze. It was too close, and my heart instantly hurt for the family who is grieving for this young woman. I know that grief is a part of life, and could there be any happiness without its opposite, etc. I know that one life lost in a fire seems small in comparison to the thousands lost in a tsunami and/or disease and/or insert tragedy here. That's in my head, and it makes logical sense. Yet, somewhere in the world, a man and his family and his in-laws never-to-be grieve for one lost woman, and his tragedy is mine because my character is still grieving for his beautiful Cara and his son, Samuel, lost in a house fire due to faulty wiring. So God bless you, sir, whatever your name is, and your family as well. I pray that love touches you again someday when your heart has healed a bit. That's all we have to keep the madness of time and world at bay--healing and a bit of love. Téigh le Dia.