Seeds of Inspiration
by Mary Manners
"How much better to get wisdom than gold, to gain insight rather than silver."
~ Proverbs 16:16 ~
Sometimes it's hard to be still and listen. The world moves at a speed-of-light pace and we as humans tend to mimic the frenzy. It's do or die, sink or swim in today's society. The desire to juggle work, family, friendships and exercise (not to mention the shelves full of books on my to-read list) can do a real number on creativity. I've recently fallen victim to this and as a result my muse has been dry as the desert sand. From where is my next storyline going to come? I longed to breach the dam and have the creativity flowing once again.
So, I took a deep breath and made a point to be still and listen, and it wasn't long before a co-worker of mine cured what ailed me when she returned from a recent trip to New York City. She told me of her adventures, which had to do with homemade cannoli she'd bought for her friends and a canceled flight home that blocked the delivery. As she relayed with great animation the lengths she'd gone to in order to get those cannoli (and herself) home safely, I sat fully engrossed while I laughed at every twist and turn. I listened to her hilarious antics, and didn't say a word as she went on and on with her story.
Then, as the story wound to a close, a funny thing happened (beside the cannoli squashed in her suitcase). Creativity began to gush as the idea for a story formed. What came was a seed...a teeny-tiny seed, but one that might very well sprout and reach toward the heavens as a mighty oak. All because I put on the brakes for a few minutes in time, and slowed long enough to listen and laugh; laughter is good, too.
So, when the world tells you to rev the engines and forge full-steam ahead, fight the urge and take some time to reflect and listen with both ears. You might be surprised and well-please by what will come knocking at your creative door.
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Daylin Sullivan has a passion for two things: books and food. Both help her escape from a past riddled by abandonment; she spent her childhood passed from one foster family to the next. Life has mirrored a game of musical chairs until one New Year’s Eve she stumbles upon a Dash for the Dream brochure in the local diner. The team is a faith-based group that runs marathons to raise funds for Cystic Fibrosis research.
Patrick Litton is raising his six-year-old daughter Aubree alone. As the leader of Dash for the Dream, the widower works tirelessly to secure funding in search of better treatment for all those afflicted with CF, including Aubree. Patrick has no time for romance—until he meets Daylin at the Dash for the Dream kick-off party.
Daylin and Patrick don't expect to fall in love, but both learn that when it comes to romance, training for a marathon is the easiest part of their journey.
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Mary Manners is an award-winning romance writer who lives in the beautiful foothills of East Tennessee with her husband Tim and the cherished cats they've rescued from local animal shelters...Neyland and Gus. She loves swimming, running, flavored coffee and Smoky Mountain sunsets.
Mary believes everyone has a story to tell, and she loves to share hers. She writes inspirational romances of all lengths, from short stories to novels—something for everyone.
Visit Mary Manners at her website: www.MaryMannersRomance.com.
