In the past few weeks and days, I have been working on polishing my manuscript. My last
meeting with the Atmosphere Press editor was supportive and revealed a few areas to give
attention to. I have also been struggling with the title. I had three great ideas for the title but
could not choose. They all had pluses, but deciding which was right challenged me.
My daughter Anna gave me a suggestion as to how to focus on it. Using her suggestion and asking for inner clarification one night, I woke up the next morning, sensing something had
shifted inside me. Two of the titles were wonderful and catchy, but the third really said it all. My
book is titled Love, Courage, and Miracles.
This title came about a couple of weeks ago during an editing session with my friend Sue,
another mom of a daughter with cystic fibrosis and a lung transplant. As we considered the
contents of my story and its three parts about miracles, courage, and love it seemed that should
be the title. But I had to be sure. This is an important decision for my book and how it is to be
received in the world.
It is perfect, really, my life journey has been full of love, courage, and miracles. I have been
transformed by the path that has been laid out for me. Living with a daughter like Anna with
cystic fibrosis and her miracle transplant has been chronically miraculous despite it being
chronically devastating.
So, next in the way to a book in my hands are two rounds of proofreading. Yesterday afternoon I
released the manuscript to the managing editor. This is a big step, and it basically says yes, even
though it is scary to let go, I am almost finished. If you can hear any hesitation in my writing,
you are hearing correctly. I have never been in this position before. It is a sort of birthing
experience to a part of me that will be revealed to anyone who wants to see it. Yikes!
I remember being pregnant and wondering, “How is this lump of baby growing inside me ever
going to come out?” It is an overwhelming thought at the beginning of motherhood. And now,
after 42 years of motherhood; how is it going to be sharing this amazing experience of mothering
with the world? I just have to let go like I did with the birth of both of my babies and especially
when my Anna came into my world.
It was important to mark the moment. I had a little ritual with candles, my book in printed form,
my trusty computer, a little magical blue budgie, a symbolic Sisters butterfly, my CF mom
friend, Sue, champagne, and coconut ice cream. With that setting, I sent it off.