Amy M. Schaefer
  • Amy M. Schaefer, Writer
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From the Front Porch

I am an "accidental blogger". When I launched my writing career in March of 2014, one of the things that I decided to include was my journaling, which I have always found to be a comforting and therapeutic endeavor.  It was a big risk to open myself up in such a public forum, but it has taught me that, for the most part, we share far more experiences than we think. It's comforting to know I'm not alone!  (*the "Button Text" is the link to my first novel)
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A Wonderful World

3/31/2015

2 Comments

 
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We live in a world full of war and poverty, injustice, greed, and death. Many of my friends have stopped watching the news because it's just too depressing. In the writing class I took several months ago, we spoke often of how weary we all were with the seeming bombardment of "bad news". On a smaller, but much more personal scale, it's easy enough to become overwhelmed with the stresses of our own lives. How do we combat this and find a way to live a happy life? It's on us to find ways to shuck those burdens we all must carry. Today I did that by spending most of my time outdoors savoring the beautiful spring weather. I cleaned "winter" off my deck, bought things that grow, stuck my hands in rich dirt and let the simple joy of planting herbs and flowers soothe my worries. My nails are a fright, but I've had a smile on my face most of the day. I'd call that a pretty fair trade!

Perhaps we wallow in the difficulties of life because it requires less work. Lifting ourselves up out of life's muck can be a challenge that often we're just too lazy to meet. It's much easier to plop down in the middle of our own pity party and complain. I've found, though, that the rewards for digging myself out of that state of mind are well worth the work involved! Do we live in a horrible world, mankind a blight on this blue planet, or do we live in a world full of wonder and hope? It's all a matter of perspective, right?! I'm kind of partial to the legendary Louis Armstrong's thoughts, shared below! What a wonderful world!
2 Comments
Mark
4/27/2015 10:01:49 am

Went meandering through your blog to see if there was anything I'd missed and looped this song over and over as I did. I needed the reminder.

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Amy Marie Schaefer
4/27/2015 10:04:54 am

Yeah it's a good one and nobody does it like Mr. Armstrong!

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    About The Author

    I grew up in rural North Carolina. When I was only nineteen, I moved away and became a military wife. My only aspiration at that tender time in my life was to create an adult life that "fixed" all of the "injustices" of my childhood. Secretly, however, I wanted to reach for the sky! I wanted to be a writer and find ways to "save the world" (my mother used to say, "You have Save the World Syndrome".). Mostly, I wanted to matter.

    Since then, I have learned to reach well beyond what I ever dared to think was possible. I've learned not to allow fear to stop me from whatever future I want to create!

    What keeps me grounded? My Tribe! What provides the wind beneath my wings? A well of reserves filled with unstoppable passion!

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  • Amy M. Schaefer, Writer
  • Blog: From the Front Porch
  • Novels
  • Short Stories
    • Children's Books
  • About the Author
  • Contact
  • Photo & Art Gallery