Dear Girlfriends,

I hope you will join me in the celebration of the release of my first book. Like any new mother, I am so proud I included a picture of her!

I will be showing her off in person next Monday evening, September 14, from 6:00 - 7:30 p.m. at Borders at the corner of Lovers Lane and Greenville Avenue in Dallas (across from Central Market). This will be my first reading and book signing event and for those of you in the Dallas area, I hope you will come by to celebrate with me.

Over the years, many of you have asked me to turn my Truth Nuggets into a book and lo, and behold, it happened!  The One Year Book of Inspiration for Girlfriends . . . juggling not-so-perfect, often crazy but gloriously real lives, is a collection of my most popular Truth Nuggets plus many that have never been published to my blog. And, if you're so kind to purchase a copy, 50% of my profits will go to LifeNet, the Dallas based non-profit that provides assistance to those recovering from mental illness and substance abuse in the rebuilding of their lives. 

Thank you so much for all of your warm words and encouragement. I hope to see you soon, if not in Dallas, in a book store in your city!

Wishing you joy,

Ellen

Posted by Ellen on September 8, 2009 3:08 PM  |  Category:

Dear Girlfriends,

Difficult.

I glanced down at the piece of paper that listed highlights and important information for the hike we were on, and scanned quickly for the rating of the trail that was taking us further up the mountain pass just outside Aspen. Immediately I was comforted. Next to the words "hike rating" was the word that I was looking for: difficult.

As my calves cramped from maneuvering the steep switchbacks (who in their right mind took this hike in the first place?) and as my heart pounded and I gasped for breath at nearly 12,000 feet (Dallas sits at a mere 463 feet above sea level) and as my skin seemed to shrink on my bones from losing every ounce of its moisture (I will never, ever complain about Dallas's humidity again), I felt immediately comforted by the confirmation that this was not considered a simple stroll. It was difficult.

And here's what else that was affirming: I knew this pass had been rated by people who actually hike. Had the information sheet been written by a person who doesn't regularly experience a challenging workout, I would not have been so reassured. But this was information that was issued by locals, maybe even experts, providing even further legitimacy to the claim. Their rating of the excursion proved to me that I wasn't being a whiney baby. This was difficult.

As we slid (not literally, but nearly) back down the mountain pass, I thought about the reward at the end of our hike - the turquoise waters of the beautiful Cathedral Lake. Was it worth the pain and suffering? No. Not really. It was pretty and all. But I can't say I thought that putting my life on the line was worth the view. And if I had known then that I would barely be able to crawl out of bed the next morning I would have said Cathedral Lake was way overblown. However, what did make the hike rewarding was the fact that I survived it.

Today, as you sit reading this, some of you are grasping for air and looking for comforting confirmation that you're not alone on your journey. Others of you have been this way before and are experts at maneuvering difficult passages. You have trekked your way through tough times; you have faced fear; you have cried, doubted, and been on the verge of turning back. Some of you have stumbled or tripped on the way but all of you have made your way to the top of the pass.

I remind you of this because today, you might be the comforting confirmation to another who is on your same hike. One who needs to know that she is not alone; that the trip will eventually come to an end and like you, she will survive.

Sometimes the most comforting confirmation is just knowing that someone else knows that yes, indeed, this is difficult.

Your mountain hiker,

Ellen

Posted by Ellen on September 23, 2009 10:48 AM  |  Category: A Note from Ellen