Carpe Diem!

Over last weekend, my DH and I took my parents to the Outer Banks of North Carolina for my cousin's wedding on the beach. It was a lovely setting, much different from the beaches of Florida or Hawaii! The coastal island beaches are lined with dunes covered with low growing shrubs and salt grass.

Wild ponies, the descendants of shipwrecked Spanish horses, roam freely. It is against the law to feed them or even to approach closer than 50 feet so they'll remain wild. White egrets perch on their backs to keep them free of insects, a neat little symbiotic relationship.

The wedding was held on a remote portion of the beach only accessible by four wheel drive. It was a "shoes optional" affair, very intimate and lovely. I felt blessed to be there.

My DH and I lived in North Carolina, in the Piedmont area, for 11 years. And in all that time, we never made it to the Outer Banks. The DH was working for USAir at the time, so when we wanted to go to the beach, we hopped a plane and went to Florida, using his flight benefits. By doing so, we missed some of the wonders closer at hand, always thinking we'd do the Outer Banks later.

We left NC in 1996. Later took its time in coming.

Now I'm of the opinion that we shouldn't wait when we want to do something. Take that trip. Tell the people who are important to you how much they mean to you. Make peace with any you're in conflict with. Surround yourself with the people and things that make you happy. Don't wait. Later may not come.

As my uncle from Tennessee says, "It's time to start using the good china."

Is there anything you've been putting off that you want to do?

Thomas Wolffe was Wrong!

You CAN go home again.

I was in North Carolina over the weekend to attend a wedding and it was like a homecoming for me. I've lived in 9 different states, 4 time zones. The longest I've ever lived anywhere was the 11 years we spent in North Carolina. The church where the wedding was held was my home church and will always be the home church of my heart.

Yes, there were some empty pews. Some of my older friends are gone now. Some have changed churches or stopped attending altogether. Other friends have had beautiful children. But every face I saw lit with delight when they saw me. I've never been hugged so much in my life!

After many twists and turns (at one point the groom was stuck in South Carolina with no gas to get home and the bride was still frosting cupcakes an hour before the ceremony was supposed to start!) the wedding went off WITH a hitch. The groom arrived home too late to get the license ahead of time, so we had to do the paper work after the fact. But everything's tied up nice and legal now and my oldest daughter (the maid of honor) and I witnessed for them

I think everyone needs someplace where they are loved unreservedly. I just spent 5 days in such a place and count myself blessed.

If you live in North Carolina and want signed copies of my books, I did take a little time to visit some booksellers to sign stock. Please visit http://www.emilybryan.com/Autographed%20Books.htm to see where I popped in.

Wishing you all more hugs than you can hold.

Carolina in my mind . . .

Tomorrow, I'm heading for North Carolina to attend a wedding. I used to live there over a decade ago and still have friends who are dear to me. The young lady getting married was a member of the youth group I worked with while I was there. My oldest daughter is flying in to be a member of the wedding party, so I'll get to spend some time with her as well as connecting with old friends.

I'm excited . . . and I'm anxious at the same time. When you move away from a place, people freeze in your mind. They don't age. They don't die. They exist in that static bubble forever. My bubble is about to be busted. The children I knew have children of their own. Some of my friends are gone now. I know that. Actually being there without them will finally make it real. Undoubtedly, some of my friends have grown and changed in ways that will make it more difficult for us to connect and they could say the same of me.

I've lived lots of places. The 11 years I spent in NC was the longest I've been any one place. It's as close to that elusive idea of home as I know. Greek sage Heraclitus said "You can't step into the same river twice." Thomas Wolffe must have been thinking the same thing when he penned You Can't Go Home Again. It's not so much that home changes. It's that we change. So our perception of home is different. Yet, I hope to find that sense of place I hold dear still intact.

I'll also be hitting some bookstores along the way, so please check out my website for places to find signed copies of my work.