Dare to Dream

     If you had all the money needed to live out your life's dream, what would you do? We all have our silly little daydreams. One of mine is traveling. I love to explore new places and have new adventures because it gives me ideas for the stories I write, which is another thing I would do if I had all the money I needed to live out my life's dream.

     But, there is one other dream I have. Being a budding writer, it stands to reason that I love to read. I love going into a bookstore and seeing the rows and rows of books. The idea of grabbing some coffee or a nice drink, and sitting down in a comfy chair with a good book, excites me.

      So, if I had all the money I needed to live out my life's dream, I would own a shop that had local author's books for sale along with other books that could be checked out for free.



It would have comfortable places to sit and of course a nice fireplace because who doesn't like to sit by a fire and read. It would also have a coffee bar and maybe sell some other fancy drinks and a few pastries.





                                    But I would also add one other element. I would add art.

Throughout my life I have met many people who have an amazing ability to capture life in art. And like most writers, they do it more as a hobby than making a living at it because, let's face it, it isn't easy to break into the industry. Most of the artwork I have seen is absolutely phenomenal and I can't imagine how these people aren't world renowned.






So, that being said, close your eyes. Well, don't close your eyes really because then you couldn't read what I'm writing, but picture this: You walk through the glass door to artwork scattered on the walls. Cushioned chairs and a few small tables sit by a roaring fireplace. On one wall is a large picture window with tables and chairs. A little farther into the shop there are bookshelves lining the walls and a bar serving coffee and drinks and pastries. Four friends are sitting at a table by the window drinking coffee and chatting. There is a guy sitting by the fireplace reading a book and eating a muffin. A woman stands in front of a painting of some horses telling her daughter, "I think I need this painting."

                 
                                                                   Can you see it?

And now...The rest of MY story

     I love to listen to Paul Harvey. Specifically, I love to listen to the stories behind the stories of different events. Just when you think you know all about a famous person, Paul comes in and gives you a little nugget of history that blows your mind.

     No one knows 'the rest of their story'. We don't have a crystal ball that can tell us how everything will play out or even how long we have to finish our story...but I would really like to have a hint.

     I am getting to the point in my life for the rest of my story to start.

     For most, the first part of  your life is gaining knowledge to one day go out and work an eight hour five day a week job. For some it's more, some it's less and for a few very fortunate people, work doesn't play into the game.

     At some point, when your hair starts to turn the color of snow or rain clouds or just falls out, you start thinking about the second part of your life. That part where you no longer have to put in the hours. You have met your quota and it's time to relax. But, how? Where?

    My how, right now, is doing exactly this. Writing. I really enjoy writing and if all goes well, I will keep doing it for a while, but my where is the problem.

     I have traveled all over different sections of the US. Each one has something special about it. But what exactly goes in to choosing a place to live out, basically, the rest of your life?

     Some people will say family. People want to be where their family is. It give them comfort. So, if that is the case, Texas would be a contender.

 I was born and raised in central Texas and it still is one of the prettiest places in the US in the spring because of the Bluebonnets.











The coast of Texas isn't bad either. Sitting on the beach to watch the sunrise can make for a spectacular morning.






But what if family wasn't an issue? I thought about what it must have been like for our ancestors to come over to America for the first time. What was it like just to leave everything they knew, all the family they had, behind and set off on an adventure of a lifetime.  This was where they would leave their legacy. Where exactly would I want to leave mine and why?                                                     


Maybe the mountains of Colorado.
High up with amazing vistas, skiing on fresh white powder in the winter or sitting curled up in a soft blanket watching the snow fall. Yes, that could be fun.








Or maybe hiking through Utah and Arizona and Nevada exploring the forests and canyons on the weekend.

Or, head to the pacific coast and take in the beautiful beaches and strange vegetation they have there. The weather always seems sunny there. But do I really want to have summer all year round?

 I could go to the midwest and have all four seasons. 

Or I could go to the east coast and get the best of both worlds with mountains and coastline within a few hours drive.

The choices are endless, I don't even have to stay in the states if I don't want to. I could choose to live out the rest of my life on some tropical island.





How exactly do you make a decision of where you want to live for the rest of your life?

Just Imagine

     Being a writer is fun. Letting what rolls around in your head, flow through your fingers onto paper, or onto the screen(in today's terms) is very satisfying. And, if you primarily write fiction, it's energizing because you can truly let your imagination run wild. It's even more satisfying and energizing when you actually have people read it.

                                       Let me take you on a walk inside my head.

     On any given day, I could be sitting in a restaurant or walking into the grocery store and my eyes lock onto something around me. A mom walking with her child or a group of women sitting down to eat lunch might spark an idea. I take in the sight and create a scenario. The mom, with her child, is on a trip and she forgot to pack his toothbrush so they head to the store where they accidentally bump into a man who changes the course of their trip and their lives. Or, some girls meet up with a friend who's boyfriend dumped her and they are consoling her when one of them gets the bright idea for a girls trip. What started out as a no plans trip turns into crazy adventure that will be a trip of a lifetime.
   
This is where I live, all day every day. That's why I love visiting new places, because my imagination is heightened. Everything is new. Every face, every place, brings new stories. The sounds and smells are even spark new ideas.

     On a recent trip through the Carolinas and Florida we stopped at Amelia Island.

     This beautiful little Island is chocked full of white sandy beaches, civil war history,







a real lighthouse
and great food which just screams to a fiction writer, "Write about me."







But the one thing that took hold of my heart like a vise was a Bed and Breakfast that was straight out of a romance novel.








Elizabeth Pointe. The name itself just conjured up all kinds of stories for me but when we pulled up for our stay, I immediately fell in love.
 The place was breathtaking, something out of a movie. We climbed the stairs to the second floor to enter into the main house.






When we opened the door my heart stopped. The living area was warm and inviting. I could picture people sitting on the sofas, or eating at the little breakfast nook.

 Stories filled my head and I immediately thought, this place will be in one of my books.

I explored the surroundings and pushed open the balcony door to take in the spectacular view.

Oh what stories I could tell. I could see it written 'hearing the waves crash as they watched the sunrise' or 'finding treasures as they walked along the beach'

or 'staring through the palms watching the the last bit of  sunset.'

Yes this place would definitely be the perfect setting for one of my stories. So stay tuned.