Tomorrow this gorgeous smile (seen here above the green shirt beneath the blond curls) will lose a tooth. It happened in a tragic accident involving a bunk bed and an older brother which resulted in a really loose - apparently broken - tooth. It's okay, he looks almost 5, right? NO. He does not look 5, and I'm completely heartbroken about this in a way you cannot even imagine from someone who has had cancer, survived it, and emerged with all these weighty revelations about the real meaning of life. Who knew vanity extended to your children's dentition? It's shameful. Lance Armstrong would be ashamed of me and probably take away my Livestrong apparel.
In other news, I've had an attitude breakthrough. I'm reading Anne Lamott who is all about being funny and honest when it comes to life. Really, really honest in that way that eventually makes me go, "Okay, seriously, the truth isn't always this true." So in that spirit, I submit to you this really heartwarming, live-like-you're-dying king of thought I had today when I was feeling blue that no editors have as yet brought me a publishing contract followed by a parade. I thought about my really cool agent and the fact that she's a real live honest-to-goodness Fifth Avenue New York City literary agent and thinks I'm good enough. And then I thought about this rejection I got from an editor a couple weeks ago that was so complimentary I plan to frame it and hang it above my desk (not really, it is a rejection after all). And I thought, between those two things, I'm extremely grateful. In a very real sense, I've made it. I mean, those are really thrilling accomplishments (seriously, the rejection said my writing was powerful and would definitely find a home - it was kind), and I can totally live with that even if it's the farthest I ever get.
Just not if I have to live very long. (And that's the honest part of which I think Anne Lamott would be proud.)
Wish us luck on the tooth removal and the end of a certain Baby Gap modeling career I'd been banking on.
- Serenity
6 comments:
Having knocked out a permanent tooth after it broke my fall from a pogo stick onto a concrete floor as a child, I feel your (or perhaps more accurately, your son's) pain!
Anne Lamott is great therapy for writers. Are you reading Bird by Bird?
Anne Lamott has been one of my favorite writers for a long time. I have "Bird by Bird" if you want to borrow it by the way. I have several of her books, so you're welcome to them also.
I so relate about kids teeth. When we found out Ev would have to have his 2 bottom front teeth removed (because they were worn to the gum, some people w. Down Syndrome don't always have adult teeth to replace the baby teeth) I took it really hard. We hope that some day dental technology will come far enough that there will be a way to replace them! But I decided I was being WAY too concerned about teeth!
And the part about your agent was heart warming and encouraging. Thanks for posting that!
Oh, and the word verification I must type to post this comment is "nochip"! How hilarious is that?!
I STILL see a baby Gap modeling career in this cherubs future, are you KIDDING me?
luv
Tiff
Say....I'm gonna have to check out Anne Lamott !
After picture please? I'll bet he is still just as adorable!!
Those are HUGE accomplishments ... the parade is still coming! :-) He's adorable ... under there somewhere is a perfectly straight and gorgeous permanent tooth! I do, however, know exactly how you're feeling!
Matt and Lori - I don't know if you'll ever see this comment, but it was Bird by Bird that I was reading. And, Lori, I definitely want to read her other books - at least the ones on faith. Her book on writing wasn't quite what I expected. I find her sort of a beautiful dichotomy between cynicism and poetry. I appreciate her honesty, but at the same time sometimes I wanted to suggest that the big, beautiful mythologems in life are actually the truer things - the things we can actually count on. More than poverty and jealousy and the like. I also found her advice sometimes too ethereal. Which is a strange criticism from someone so open to magic. :)
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