Sometimes life throws us a proverbial curve ball and we swing wildly. Watching professional baseball players do this always makes me think, “But they’re professionals! Why can’t they see it’s a curve ball?”
My husband patiently re-explains that this is what makes the sport so interesting. Great pitchers can deceive even the best of players at times.
But . . . but . . . someone who spends his whole life training to hit that white ball ought to be able to perform more consistently, shouldn’t he? We want things to be more black-and-white, more reliable.
We want to create a plan, stick with it, and watch events unfold in our favor. But how often does this occur in our affairs? More often than not, we come upon a detour or get sucked into someone else’s agenda.
This describes what happened to Everett, the main character of my recently released novel, Land That I Love. After marrying for love and for life, aberrations popped up in his plans, and in the end, his new wife’s mental illness shattered his dreams.
In shock and grief, Everett picks up the pieces with the help of his Grandfather’s former butler, and a year later, finds himself and his little son Donnie across the great Atlantic Ocean, an immigrant to Texas Hill Country.
An unlikely scenario, you say? Well, if we check back into the histories of our ancestors, similar situations—and even worse—motivated many to make this great move.
Recently a new word came to my attention. Flehmen describes a behavior common in horses. They inhale with their mouths open and upper lips curled. Humans misinterpret this as a sign of anger, but cats, elephants, and bats routinely use the same action.
A little research reveals that lifting the upper lip gives provides access to the vomeronasal organ on the roof of the horse’s mouth, with vital chemoreceptors that help them find mates and analyze other smells. (Paraphrased from The McClusky (North Dakota) Gazette, 10 Sept. 2020)
So what appears to us as rebellion or spirit actually turns out to be a completely practical, down-to-earth reaction.
Animals need to mate, and their survival depends on responding to odors in their environment.
Perhaps that’s how it is with people. Guided by our instincts and intuition, desires and needs, we take certain actions that alter our lives. Whether for better or worse, our decisions and choices change things for us, and though we may feel we are “in control,” we really have no idea where our actions may lead.
About 15 years ago, my position instructing expository writing classes led to participating in a week-long university writing retreat, which led to more intense, proactive writing resulting in a memoir. Then I began researching World War II novels, something I had never intended.
But here I am, and wherever you are, there you are. Sometimes it’s good to reflect on how we ended up here, isn’t it? For me, that is all about change, of course, but also all about gratitude.
I hope reading Land That I Love reminds readers that even though we fear change, it can result in great beauty and satisfaction.
Gail Kittleson and her husband of 44 years enjoy gardening and grandchildren in their northern Iowa home, and in winter, Arizona’s gorgeous Mogollon Rim Country. Gail also delights in facilitating writing workshops and cheering on other authors.
Her WWII novels honor the incredible tenacity of the make-do Greatest Generation. You can count on these characters to ask honest questions, exhibit integrity, grow in faith, and face hardships with spunk. Visit her on her website.