A to Z Challenge: X is for Exactly the right time

X is for Exactly the right time.

Do you ever think life gets in the way of living your dreams? Do the if only thoughts discourage you in your daily activities—if only you had more time or energy to write, if only you didn’t have  to work a full time job, if only your kids weren’t all still in diapers—sound familiar? The if only thoughts can be very destructive.

A friend who is a member of my church would often say to the congregation, “You’re in the right place.” He said this to encourage people who had been struggling all week long so they would know that being in church was a good thing, taking the sacrament was a healing power that would cleanse and strengthen them, and that no matter what else was going on in their lives, being at church on Sunday was exactly the right thing to do.

In my writing, I have often wondered about the things that have “gotten in the way” of finishing my work in progress. Learning the craft was not a hindrance but a necessity. But other events that took place over the years were absolutely necessary too, even though I did not know that at the time. I realize now I was meant to be exactly where I was every step of the way. For instance, I left my full time job to write, but ended up caring for my father and grandmother who became ill. While I cared for them I could learn my craft and develop much needed skills. And the time I spent with them in their last several years was priceless to me.

Now I realize taking the A to Z Challenge was exactly the right thing to do too. It made me put myself out there in the blogger’s world, account for myself, and be more visible. I’m an introvert at heart, so anything that makes me stand out is painful—but it’s one of those necessities in the writing field if I ever wish to have my books sell. Now that I’ve been doing it, I kind of like it!

So X is for eXactly the right place at the right time. You are in exactly the right place in the right time in your life too. Don’t forget it! Now, go write something awesome today.