Valentine's Day was last week. I hope you had a good one. I love celebrating love. It provides me with a reason to make and give cards, bake treats, create a special menu, share (but mostly eat) chocolate, or shop for meaningful gifts. But most of all, I love a Happy Ever After. Whether it's a movie, TV show, conversation, or book, I enjoy it most when everything resolves with a happy ending. Soldiers returning home to surprise their family after a tour away, a displaced pet reunited with its family, young love persevering despite seemingly insurmountable obstacles. The underdog team winning the basketball tournament. A fantastic job landed by the new graduate. Couples in their 80's still holding hands. These things make my heart smile. All is right in my world.
But life doesn't always give us the easy, happy endings. There's no guarantee that things will be fair. Likely the opposite. We're nearly certain to be faced with heartache, disappointment, loss, struggle, and downright exhaustion as we journey through life. Teething babies, car accidents, unexpected health diagnoses, vet bills, the price of groceries, the death of a family member or friend. Sounds depressing and hardly worth putting in any effort if that's what we have to look forward to. But, out of these trials and life challenges, the real story with the true happy ever after emerges. Out of struggle and heartache, our honest character is honed and defined. Relationships grow stronger. Faith deepens. Confidence increases. We learn to trust our instincts, find hope, create change. We pay it forward. We love. We live.
The stories I write combine realistic challenges with a happy ever after. I want to be able to relate to and learn from the characters in my books. I want to share hope. Because, when dreams and goals are worked towards, despite the real or imaginary detours and roadblocks of life, it adds an extraordinary level of sweetness to the happy ever after at end of the story.
Be on the lookout for a new HEA from me in the coming months. With that said, do you have a happy ever after to share in the comments?
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