The Time Is Never Right—Just Get On With It

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Forever is composed of nows.

~Emily Dickinson

The Time Is Never Right—Just Get On With It


That’s it! This is it! Here it is! I’m doing it! What IS it? A blog. I am starting, writing and starring in a blog. I’m a little conflicted even now as I write. I’m somewhere between… “Like what are you doing, Steph” and “Girl! What took you so long?!?”  HA! See. I told you I was conflicted. Here’s the thing. Do I really have time for this? Am I committed? Is this even the right time for this? I have four kids, a husband, a house to run, lives to manage, four dogs and six cats. That’s a lie. We don’t have any pets. I was being dramatic. This rest though? That other stuff is true.


Anyway, I already have too many responsibilities as it is. Why would I take this on too? The time isn’t right. The truth is that’s why there are almost seven years between our last two children. I kept trying to wait for the right time. Let’s wait until we get a bigger home. Lets wait until we are sure we can afford this bigger home.  Let’s wait until the sun travels around the moon. Let’s wait until I lose a few pounds. *insert strong side eye* My beautiful baby boy STILL wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for a strong, still voice saying… “Its now or never, Girl.” Maybe that was my gynecologist talking to me at my annual appointment.  Whatever. You get the point. It was now or never.  I guess I’m just taking that same approach here. It’s now or never. I choose now.  


Also, I’ve identified as a writer for many years. I discovered that I love writing as much as I love reading. Only, reading is much MUCH easier than writing. With reading I’m reading and analyzing or judging(tomato/tomato) someone else’s work. It requires little more than my butt in a chair and my eyes on the page. And the best part; there’s nothing to lose.  There are no hurt feelings if I hate a book and abandon it. If I read an article or blog that doesn’t speak to me; I move on. What have I lost? Nothing but time. Such is the life of a reader. I’m ok with that. Writing on the other hand... Writing for an audience? That’s a whole other animal. So you want me to pour me on a page and give it to folks I know and folks I don’t know and let them do what? LOVE IT! They are gonna love it, Stephanie. I talk to myself sometimes. Don’t worry about that.  You’ll get used to it.  You might even take it up as a practice. Talking in third person sometimes gives me enough space from myself to objectively look at me. I’m reflective like that. I’m sure you understand. If not just email me or call me and I’ll explain.  I’m kidding. Don’t call me or e-mail me.  Just keep reading and you’ll get me.


I’m Stephanie. I am also Steph depending on how long or how well you’ve known me. I have a thing about unapproved nicknames and pet names. I’ll tell you about that another time. The point is I am regular.  Not average-- regular. That is to say I’m not over the top. I will be the same person when you catch me at the grocery store in flip flops with an unidentifiable stain on my shirt as I am at a black tie affair with my handsome husband.  I am introspective, intellectual AND I watch reality television ANNNNND I cuss a little #JudgeYourOwnSelf.  I am a wife, a mother, a daughter, a sister, a stay at home mom, a fierce friend, a loyal confidant and so much more. I am you.

That’s the real reason I’m even writing publicly.  I have experiences, successes, failure---FAILURES, heartbreaks, great loves and losses. We all do, right? Only most of us are too private, too guilty, too ashamed, too shy or too something to share them. I’m here to normalize life. To let every day mommas, wives, daughters, sisters, girlfriends, grandmothers, women- and even the fellas… to let you know that we are us.  I am you. There isn’t enough money, circumstance or distance to separate us at the core. So come… Come with me on the quest for similarities. Let’s look for opportunities to uplift and encourage.  Join me as I create a safe space to be transparent, to honor and heal the hurt, to reject the shame, deny the guilt, celebrate the victories, share the life experiences and travel the road to #ChooseYou.  Remember, the time is never right, it just is until it isn’t. No regrets.  That thing you’ve been putting off??? Yeah… Go do it now.
Whew! My first blog post is in the books. Hey yall… Thanks for reading. Join me next time and every time as I write to normalize life.  Talk soon!  

-Stephanie

I’m not here because I’m an expert. I’m here because I have experiences.