Our Cat is a Boy

Every now and then in Life, there comes a day that you can put your finger on and say, "this day marks the end of one chapter and the beginning of another."  January 9, 2015 was one of those days, if you'll remember, I wrote to you - The Setting Rising Sun.  That day marked my last day of break before graduation and my last day of dating - moving into a life of engagement and a few months later marriage.

August 1, 2015 was another one of those days I could easily point to as a new beginning.  That day, I married my best friend.  Since then, my life has been a constant whirlwind of uncertainty.  Blissful, but still uncertain.  Am I meant to collect debt for the next few years? Should I stay in my beloved Tennessee, or should I pursue a career elsewhere?

February 26th, 2016 was another day that was obviously a turning point.  I had given notice at my job two weeks prior, and now I was required to truly put weight to my decision to move to Washington DC.  Oh, and partway through my workday I got a call informing me that the cat I have owned for several months - the cat I thought was female - was actually a male.  Talk about being thrown for a loop.

Life is full of uncertainty (I mean when you can't even count on what gender your cat is...), even on those days that are "set in concrete."  These are exciting times for Virginia and me, and they are scary times.  I don't have a job waiting for me in DC, but I am positive I am meant to go there.  I am meant to influence people in a particular way, and I am certain that I am to so it there.

Dear reader, I am so far from perfection, as I know you are aware.  I look for fulfillment in things like publishing a book (which I am now working to revise, as it is extremely difficult to find all your errors the first time around), but I find fulfillment in better things - my faith, my wife, and my Work.  I do not necessarily know what I am going to do in DC, but I go there with an open heart and more resolve than I've had in quite some time.

From my heart to yours, may this encouragement find you wherever you are.  You can do whatever it is you are meant to.  It will not be easy.  But I'll be here all along the way.

I'll write to you again soon.  My view from this proverbial hilltop of my life is stunning, and I eagerly await the view from the next.

I'll see you there.

J

Scarlequain is Published!

Dear reader,

I have been writing to you for quite some time now, and you have faithfully come back, again and again.  As I'm sure you could guess, it has always been a childhood dream of mine to be a published author, and thanks to Amazon Publishing, I have been able to publish a collection of letters, poetry, and short stories!  Some of it will be familiar to you, if you have been following me for very long, but much of it will be new, as I have included poetry all the way back to 2009.  In this book you can also find the complete gathering of the JTY saga, narratives, rants, and other writings, including a forward written by my lovely wife, Virginia.

Thank you all so very much for continuing to read my work, and for encouraging me to write.  Without you, I would just be talking to myself.

I will be putting a link to my book on the right side of my blog, and you can also find it by clicking here.

Again, thank you for reading.  Please let me know how you like the book!  I can't begin to tell you how excited I am.

Sincerely,

Jonathan