A book

Last week, when my little nephew was born (and that is a thrilling thing for me to be able to say, because I've never had any nieces or nephews except once, and they became my son and daughters), my dad was having trouble getting a hold of anyone in the hospital room to get the latest updates. In desperation, he called me to see if I had been there and had the latest. Fortunately for his frustration, I did, so I told him all the happenings that I thought he might not have been aware of yet. We talked for several minutes about the baby, his health, my sister, her health, and the fact that (according to my father) my mother refuses to ever answer her phone out of sheer spite because she knows it vexes him so much. Finally, as we were about to end the conversation, he said suddenly, "Oh! I remember now! I meant to tell you last week to go to the library and check out a book called 'If Life is a Bowl of Cherries, Why am I in the Pits?' by a lady named Erma Bombeck." My silence assured him that I had no idea where in love's name he came up with that. He then explained, "When your mom and I were first married, we heard about that book, and she read it to me. It was pretty funny. She did what you were talking about doing: taking her life experiences and writing about them in a funny way. I don't know why, but for some reason the other day, the thought just hit me out of nowhere that I should tell you to go to the library and check out her book. I don't know why; I haven't thought of her in about 30 years." It was funny in a coincidental way that he had said that to me. In fact, I have already written a "book" of my own. Parts of it are very funny, but it wasn't written as a comedy. Once I wrote it, I didn't know what else to do with it. So it's just been sitting here on my computer for nearly a year. I suppose now, it could definitely do with some additions and revisions. But, just for curiosity's sake, I wonder... what would happen if I pursued this vision of publishing my book? How awesome and amazing would that be, to have a real book out there with my name on it? I wonder what God might do with it. Maybe I wouldn't have to get a regular job afterall.

In reading this over, I have come to the conclusion that it is about as interesting as a wet dish rag, and I'm almost ashamed to publish it (this is perhaps one reason why I only have three readers, and I'm certain to lose the new one after this). But I reckon that if I can't be real and discuss the things that are really on my mind, even if it isn't "interesting" to everyone else, then what good is there in having a blog?