Changing the rhythm...

by Liz Flaherty

...everybody's individual music, has its own rhythm... - Yo-Yo Ma


I had this idea for a post because today’s my daughter Kari’s birthday. It was definitely right up there
Kari Wilson
with the best days of my life, along with her brothers’ births, the days they married and gave me my other three kids, the days the Magnificent Seven were born, the day back in 1971 when Duane and I said yes, we do, and all the days since. That’s life in Pollyannaville, folks—there are no bad days, only some that are better than others.

So I’m disqualifying all those days I just listed. What are my five best days? Or if not always best, real life-changers. Yes, those. Hmmmm... Okay, in no particular order, here we go.


  1. February 9, 1964. The Beatles were on Ed Sullivan for the first time and changed how I would look at music forever. I still mourn for John and George and although their songs don’t make it to the Top Five on my list of favorites, every song on that list is measured against how I felt that night watching them on TV.
  2. June 5, 1968. The day Bobby Kennedy died. My political innocence was lost and in many ways I became a grownup that day. His life—and his death—had much to do with who I am.
  3. September 11, 2001. Because none of us was ever the same again.
  4. October 23, 1998. I sold my first book to Kensington Precious Gems. I supposed I should be
    embarrassed to admit in this day of indie-pubbing that I still feel the validation of that phone call from Hilary Sares. But I do. Thank you, Hilary.
  5. November 2001. I stopped smoking. And make no mistake—I didn’t want to. I enjoyed it from the first nasty-smelling Pall Mall to the last nasty-smelling Marlboro. I will probably never forgive myself for what I subjected my kids and other people to when I was a smoker, but I’m glad for the day I stopped. 


Now that I’ve finished my list, it feels kind of anticlimactic, but it’s only my life I’m talking about here, not the state of the world. Now we’re interested in hearing about yours. (You knew that was coming, right?) You don’t have to tell us five, and you may want to save yours for later in the week, but give it some thought anyway. What days changed your life?

Comments

  1. Good morning, Liz. Leaving aside those personal days of marriage and birth, I'll just mention a few really good days. 01/06/93-the day I sold my first book to Kate Duffy. 08/26/2011-the day my French editor contacted me about buying rights to some of my books. 09/01/2011-the day I retained a top agent for my sub-rights deals. 06/03/2015-the day I found out our Summer Fire box set hit the USA Today and NY Times bestsellers list.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Great ones, Joan. I had one of those lately, too, when A Heartwarming Christmas hit the USA Today. It was so much fun!

      Delete
  2. Liz, I love your life in Pollyanaville! Keep enjoying the many "best days" of your life! :-)

    ReplyDelete
  3. My life-altering dates (not counting marriage and birth of kids or Sept 11th)
    1) April 7, 1985 (Day I met my AF officer who would go on to inspire my first serious attempt at a book)

    2) Jan 5, 1996 (The day someone who told me they believed in me entered my life)

    3) March 29, 2008 (Day I met my bff/critique partner/karaoke-partner-in-crime, lol!)

    4) May 19, 2009 (Day I officially became a published author, not simply self-pubbed)

    5) July 31, 2014 (The day I discovered the person in #2 had lied to me all along)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. April 7 is my oldest son's birthday! Re: #2 & #5--it's so sad when things like that happen in our lives. :-(

      Delete
  4. Great list, Liz! Thanks for the prompt! My list will be up tomorrow because...well, you know... I'm going to have to think because so many significant dates are around my marriage, my kid, my grandkid... Stay warm, baby!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That was why I didn't use those--I really had to think!

      Delete
  5. I'd have a hard time narrowing it to five, but I'll think. 9/11 definitely. I remember thinking I needed to go buy lots of panty hose, not that I wear it, but every WWII novel I read said there was a shortage in panty hose LOL

    ReplyDelete
  6. The day I married. The day my kids were born. Handsome being diagnosed with cancer. The day my son married. And the day I sold my first story.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Life-changers all. I hope Handsome's doing okay.

      Delete
  7. Liz, I think my touchstones are very similar to yours. Especially, the Beatles and 9/11. I could throw in JFK's assination as well. Personally, finding my husband, the birth of my daughter, and the birth of my granddaughter.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah. I gave a lot of thought to JFK's assassination because I remember it SO clearly, but it was Bobby's death that both undid me and made me strong.

      Delete
  8. My five most memorable days...JFK's assassination, 9/11, day I was diagnosed with cancer, day I sold my first article, day I received a contract for my first novel.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm glad to see you here, Joanne. The sale and contract dates are big with several of us, aren't they?

      Delete
  9. I'm saving mine for wednesday...great list, Liz!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I think 9/11 is on everyone's list, Liz. Mine? 12/25/71-when my dad quit drinking for good. 11/?/80-when I met my mentor/boss/adopted dad, and my life changed. 3/28/87-when I married my Alpha Dog, and became an instant mother. 7/21/14-when I won the RITA!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Big days, Laura! You're right about 9/11, and it's so intensely personal to all of us.

      Delete
  11. Loved reading through your list and the comments. Mine's coming on Thursday. Still trying to figure them out..

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It was harder than I expected. And I wish the list could have been longer, but I'd still be talking!

      Delete

Post a Comment