Crossbyte contemplation #9. There are so many paths ... Little River Band

 

"Up the mountain, but the view from the top is still the same ..."

is the rest of that lyric. I consider myself compassionate and caring though many people who know me would say that is a weakness. People throw around the concepts of heaven and hell and toss people up or down depending on their judgments of them. I think a lot of people have relegated me to hell because of my beliefs. I don't really care what they believe and I could, but I won't, give a litany of all the things I've done which I think have benefitted people who have come to know me, who have attended the same churches as I, and who, I say this sadly, used to be my friends. I'm not going to do that because I don't believe that our heavenly rewards depend on what we have done. I think it depends on what God has done for us. However, I am not going to make this a religious argument because that is not my point. 

Mountains can be symbols for triumph, "I've been to the mountaintop" or they can be symbols for trial and tribulation. I firmly believe that there are many ways to the mountaintop. Some of them we do to and for ourselves and some, other people do to or for us. I guess my point is that my way of life -- my path to the mountaintop is not the same as yours -- and I don't necessarily want to use the same way as you because then I'm always following someone else's footsteps and not my own. I don't have to do things the way you do. I don't have to believe the way you do, and you are certainly not the one to judge whether my path is right or not.

I'm angry about a lot of things, and sometimes my anger is like a poison that destroys my view of the mountain and obscures my path so badly that I just get lost. Even now as I write this and think about people and comments I have read or heard, I feel that poisonous anger rise up. You know, I'm too old for this crap. 

I have strayed from my original intent to talk about how we all have our ways of life, but then I slipped into the "Why the hell do I let other people get to me when they try to tell me my way is not the right way, or my thoughts shouldn't be "Thunked," or my path will lead to hell?

Every single one of us walks a different way. 

You know. I don't think many people look forward to the fact that we all have the same view once we get to the mountaintop.  They're too busy trying to push people off the path.

Rant over.

p.s. Some of you may know that my new book, Drifting, has just come out. It is the sequel to Drowning but you can read it and enjoy it without having read the other one.

It's dark, but it's always darkest before the dawn. If anyone would want to buy it, you can click on the link below. If anyone has any questions or wants to discuss it, you can contact me.

Where you can get Drifting.

May your journey lead you to the peace and beauty of the mountaintop.

Virtual Book Tour and Gift certificate Giveaway for my YA contemporary novel Drifting.

 https://elainepcantrell.blogspot.com/

https://bibliomanaicaza.wordpress.com/

https://ironcanuckreviews.home.blog/

https://nickiesviewsandinterviews.blogspot.com/

https://www.ourtownbookreviews.com/2021/05/drifting.html

You can go to these sites and get all of the information you need on Drifting. You can also sign up to win a $25 gift certificate.

Drifting is an important young adult book to me, my best book ever, and very personal to me. It is about the traumas that young people face: assault, bullying, mental illness. I taught for over 30 years, and I can tell you first hand that teens have it tough. I also know from personal experience. Check out the book. I would appreciate the support.

Drifting is the sequel to Drowning, but it can be read as a standalone.

I Am Actually an Introvert, but ...

 I am an introverted person and an introverted writer. I don't like to brag about my work because I hope that the writing speaks for itself.  I have a different mindset tonight. The sequel to my novel Drowning is coming out this week. Drowning was the best thing I've ever done ... until this book, Drifting came along. The story isn't what I'd call pretty. It is a young adult contemporary novel that covers the dark parts of being an adolescent. It covers bullying, mental illness, dysfunctional families, and some other things. However, the whole point of the series is that if people have good support systems they can survive and thrive. People also need to know that help is available.  I wrote from personal experience in these novels. I, myself am bipolar, and I experienced a lot of bullying when I was growing up. If not for family, friends, students, and doctors I would most likely not be alive today.  So one of the things I've chosen to do with my life is to tell people that they are not alone.  And you're not. Help is available even if you do not have family and friends to support you. Please don't try to go it alone.

I'm not going to beg you to buy my book, but I am going to invite you to join me on my virtual book tour. Click on this link to get further information:

https://bibliomanaicaza.wordpress.com/2021/05/23/book-blast-giveaway-drifting-by-steven-m-cross/

The Knight Has Ended

 The preorder links are

Paperback (Barnes and Noble): https://www.barnesandnoble.com/.../drifting.../1139414228...

eBook (Amazon): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B093WRF6FC

I am saying goodbye to an old friend who has been a big part of my life for about seven years. Dean Knight is the protagonist of the two novels pictured above. Dean has a mental illness, and bullies have targeted him for years. Drifting is the final book of the duo-logy. (Not sure if that's how you write it.) It is the best thing I have ever written. The person who formatted the book at my publishers thanked me for writing it and told me it was a powerful story and an amazing read. Her words moved me, and I hope that the book will make its way to your bookshelf and it will move you.

The biggest thing I would tell people who believe they might be depressed or have a mental illness is to go to see a doctor. It's no shame. I'm bipolar, and I have been seeing a psychiatrist for about 25 years or so. I would have either killed myself, been killed, or died in a horrible accident before now had I not gone to a doctor and started taking medication. Another thing I would say to both people who have a mental illness and their friends and family, is that sometimes a strong support system is the only thing that will save a person. These are the messages that I hope Drifting gives to all who read it.

I haven't written in this for a long time, but I'm not going to try to make up for it all in one entry. I'll just tell you that I keep on keeping on. I have had both of my Covid shots and I'm thrilled that things are opening up a little bit. I will still wear my mask on certain occasions.

I also would mention that my wife and I have finally found an inclusive church, one that accepts everyone. It is small which is disheartening. I hope that it's small numbers are because we live in a pretty small city and not that there are too many people who are not inclusive.

I'm still writing. Not so much books anymore, but I'm doing some screenplays. I have optioned one and sold another.

I'll write more at some other time, but right now, I will leave you with this.

There are times when the only way to find ourselves is to walk alone.