Hi {{ subscriber.firstName | default('Friends') }},
I'm enjoying the tail end of summer vacation as we dive into August and developmental edits are on the horizon. I'm also excited to share the release date for WHAT YOU DO TO ME: 5/23/23. I'll be heading back to Miami for that first round of editing/book surgery (that's' what we call it!), returning to my cave, hoping not to offend anyone with my absence. See below contest details on that subject.
So, I've eaten a lot this summer. Like a lot. And I really haven't exercised as much as I should have, and I went on like minus three hikes. Not my typical summer (except for the eating, of course), but I'm grateful for the downtime and the amount of reading I've accomplished. We watched
ALBA on Netflix. It's a tough one--that train wreck you can't turn away from. The ending was a tad anti-climactic, but the thirteen episodes kept me on edge the entire season.
So, let's talk about canceling. Not people and culture. Plans. As I've matured, and let's call it what it is---gotten older, I value my time more than ever. The need to fill every day with a plan or activity doesn't excite me the way it used to. Lately, I've been known to stay in my pajamas well into the afternoon or beyond. Maybe it's being a writer, but I'm more than okay being alone and unscheduled. Plus, I feel super blessed to have a spouse and partner who shares similar interests. More so, we enjoy our alone time together.
But when I've had to cancel a plan, whether for work or personal reasons, I'm sometimes met with push back. Because of that, I find myself gravitating to friends with a similar understanding of this luxury we call time. We joke with one another often, “If I can't cancel on you, we can't be friends.” Then we laugh.
I think part of the problem is that it's easy to take it personally when someone cancels. Okay, so maybe a last minute cancellation stings, or it's someone you haven't seen in a while, and you were really excited to have the time. That can be disappointing. Or maybe you feel you're just not a priority. I get that. Good opportunity to re-evaluate the friendship and decide if it's worth pursuing (or letting go).
Heck, my dad had to cancel two family trips with us this summer due to health issues and flight cancellations (them too!), and my best friend/cousin canceled a visit when she had to be home for her daughter. She cried when she told me, worried I'd be angry.
Sure, these moments are a letdown, but they're also part of life. Stuff crops up, circumstances are beyond our control, and then there are times we just don't have a concrete reason other than wanting to be home in our pajamas. All day. It's nice to have friends who understand. And I know I'd extend the same courtesy if it happened to me. And it does. Often.
So, if I've hurt anyone with a cancellation, I'm sorry. This feels like an early Yom Kippur! My canceling is no indication of my feelings and/or respect for you. And if you've had to cancel on me, that's OKAY. I get it.
What are your thoughts on canceled plans? Are you guilty? Do you get annoyed when someone cancels? Are you willing to be more flexible and understanding?
Reply to this email and you'll be automatically entered to win the FOUR books (or eBooks) featured in my NBC 6 segment below. US only. One random winner will be chosen Monday, 8/22.
