Serendipity

It’s amazing how things arrive in one’s life, just when needed.

So my writing gig at Benicia Patch dried up months ago when the New York office cut the freelancer budget. It’s really too bad because the hometown newspaper model was working. Now my editor has been reduced to regurgitating news from other sites instead of using his local freelancers to write local news.

I don’t miss the 7am phone calls to drive out to the freeway in search of grass fires and fender-benders, but I do miss the process of chasing a story. Assignments would get me out of the house, allow me to meet new people and to do intimate interviews. Without assigned work, I am less motivated to write.

I have however, begun writing a book titled What Women Want But Won’t Say to Your Face, a Manual for Guys. I am passionate about this project I’ve got the outline done. I’ve been busy with other priorities and life in general so I fear my project may go the way of the Dodo bird.

Okay, cue the serendipity.

My friend Eli sent me a copy of his sister Becky’s book, I Look Better in Binary, a personal series of witty childhood stories steeped in humanity. I am absolutely loving it! Although I have not met Becky, I feel like I know her. Her writing style is similar to my own, honest, clever and unpretentious. It’s actually inspired me to continue working on my own book.

But wait, there’s more…

For years I’ve been reading to Biscuit at bedtime. Although he can certainly read for himself, something about the sound of my voice makes him sleepy. I don’t know if that is good or bad, but it seems to relax him.

I am loving Becky’s book so much that I decided to read some to Biscuit earlier this evening. The chapter happened to be Spittoons Aren’t Just for Cowboys. It sounded fun. II didn’t know it  but Becky shares her childhood anxieties and peculular behaviors in this chapter. As I read on I realized she was describing OCD, which the Biscuit was diagnosed with 3 years ago. Ding, ding, ding!

Becky openly describes her struggles… and it sounds just like what Biscuit is dealing with. Sadly, my soothing voice worked too well and Biscuit fell asleep before hearing the OCD connection. Not to worry, I plan to read it with him over breakfast.

The Biscuit is sensitive, witty, smart and truly unique. Unfortunately, being different in the 5th grade can be brutal and will be even more so next year in middle school. He’s even asked if there a way to find other OCD kids for him to hang out with. Luckily, he’s been accepted to a small charter school so we are hoping for the best.

I am so stoked to share Becky’s story with Biscuit so he knows that he is not alone. There are others out there who have not only survived OCD, but are thriving despite it. I am so proud of the Biscuit so I naturally want to do everything I can to support him.

On a personal note, thank you Becky for sharing such intimate vignettes of your childhood, and thank you Eli for knowing I would love this book. I plan to write a review of Becky’s book as soon as I finish it.

Serendipity rules.