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Marching On!

by Saralyn Richard

March is such a brave month! It begins with winds,
sometimes with the harshness of winter, and it ends with the first signs of
spring. This week, in particular, offers opportunities to acknowledge and
celebrate cultural traditions. Sunday was “Pi Day,” Monday was “The Ides of
March,” and tomorrow is “St. Patrick’s Day.”

March, for me, is the green month, so today I want to
talk about how the green of nature speaks to me as a writer.

A couple of weeks ago, my world was shaken by an
unusual natural phenomenon, the Texas Freeze. Many were the hardships from a
week of frozen temperatures, lack of power, lack of water, broken pipes,
caved-in ceilings, and more. I lived in Chicago for many brutal winters, but
Chicago is prepared—homes are better insulated, vegetation is not as delicate—and
I never experienced a disaster like this one.

I’d wrapped plants and tree trunks in sheets, towels,
and prayers. After everything thawed, and the temperatures returned to normal,
between 60 and 70 degrees, it was time to assess the damage. Here are a few sad
horticultural photos. There are many of these beloved plants and trees in my
yard, some I planted from seeds and have nurtured for years. I’ve fed and
watered them, pruned them, enjoyed their fruits.

As a writer, I can’t help finding the metaphor.
Sometimes, after careful creativity, production, revision, and planning, we put
a new novel out into the world. It flourishes and stands as a thing of beauty
for all to enjoy. It provides delicious fruit to please and sustain. And,
without warning, something unexpected comes along to knock it down. A biting review,
a competition lost, canceled launch events, a pandemic. Any of these can and do
discourage us, as authors.

But the month of March teaches us patience and
resilience. It teaches us hopefulness. The green buds of March, and the saucy
flowers of the azalea remind me that nature destroys, but nature also heals. That
same ebb and flow exists in the life of a book. A book club meeting can spark
new interest in a backlisted book. A sterling review from a respected source
can make an author’s heart sing. And there are always more contests and online
activities galore.

This year, St. Patrick’s Day will give me more reason
to celebrate the green. I’m more resolved than ever to March on!

How will you celebrate the green this year?