Let’s roll with it!

Having just finished my first YA novel, I’m chomping at the bit, ready to roll. I know I have to wait on God’s timing, but I have to admit I’m a little bit antsy. I have a hard time being still. (Yes, I can see a God message in this.) But what do you do when you’ve spent a year living with these characters, taking them everywhere you go and going to many of the places they visit in their own adventures?  I’m lonely. I’m ready to go on another adventure.

As I was doing preparation work for my novel, I found a great book by Sebastien Foucan, titled Free Running: The Urban Landscape Is Your Playground. The main character in my book is a free runner, or more accurately, a traceur, which, technically is not the same as free running but is close. Mr. Foucan taught me a great deal about TJ’s life and his attitude toward life.  I also learned serendipitiously a great deal about the Christian life–although this book by no means deals with Christianity or any other religion. It is a book about parkour, the art of moving through one’s environment as smoothly as possibily and overcoming whatever obstacles show up in one’s path–physical or mental.

I recommend this book if you’re needing encouragement even if parkour and free running are not for you. Here are a few tips that have inspired me.

1.  Don’t compete.  Do what we’re supposed to do without comparing ourselves to others.

2. Possession is illusion. The writer points out nothing on this planet is permanent. He says “don’t attach your happiness and success to a specific person or place.”  We have to continue on when these are gone. Wow. Christians, did you hear that? God is the true source of our joy–nothing else.

3. Be a participant, not a spectator.

4. Enjoy the journey.

5. There are risks everywhere.

TJ’s obsession with parkour has influenced my entire family. My younger son wants to do back flips off walls and to jump over everything. My older son says he would like to be a traceur. My husband recorded the MTV Ultimate Parkour. And what about me? I wanted to keep up with TJ, so I decided to try my own version of free running. I made it around the block and to the mailbox. Okay, maybe I’m not there yet, but I’m pushing toward a postitive attitude toward every mental obstacle I encounter. That counts for something, right?

 “Être fort pour être utile.”  That’s the traceur’s motto. You’ve got to be strong to be useful, especially to others.

Be strong everybody! ~ Ephesians 6:10

14 thoughts on “Let’s roll with it!”

  1. Looks like my Amazon wishlist just got bigger.

    I’m stoked to read it. I’ll be following to see if… no… when it’s published.

  4. I can’t wait to read your book. As a fellow teacher, I too have lived on the edge. You reminded me of my days teaching in a residential facility for bad boys. I’ll never forget when a boy tried to cut his own wrists with an unfolded paper clip. When I tried to stop him, he tried to stab me with the makeshift weapon. Another boy in my class pulled him off of me. This boy said, “No one stabs my teacher.” Another student became violent, and when I tried to restrain him, his elbow hit me under the jaw and shattered one of my teeth. I had to have my tooth removed. I have a nice empty space to remember this boy. Another time I remember feeling something warm on my hand, I felt my own blood trickling from my knee. Who says teaching is sitting behind a desk? I appreciate your sharing your “Edge” experience. Without these experiences, we don’t feel alive. However, I guess I wouldn’t want to every do some of these things again! I also remember the good times there. When I helped students overcome problems and they were able to go home to their families. We jumped up and down together and cried and laughed. What a great slice of life. I will need at least six copies of your book. I think my students would enjoy doing a literature circle!

    • Wow! You should definitely write a book. My hope is that teachers might incorporate this book into their classes. It’s real. It walked right out of my classroom onto the printed page. I am not the type to incorporate profanity into my writing, but the events that take place really do take place, including all the things teens do (and probably shouldn’t do).

    • You should write a story. You have had such an impact on others. Thank you for being so encouraging. It’s amazing what a LITTLE encouragement can do when we feel so down. You’ve always been there for me, and I will never ever forget about it. If I ever get published, I will do everything I can to help young readers. It is my passion.

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