When you lead a charge into battle
Don’t be surprised
When you find yourself
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| Manitoba Launch of A Second Cup of Hot Apple Cider |
Standing alone
There’s times they’ll be with you
And times when they won’t
It’s not really a betrayal
But just the way things are
It was your idea in the first place
You who rallied the troops
You who convinced them
The cause was worthwhile
They seemed to be with you
Eager to help
Eager to join in the fight
But when the chips are down…
And you lead the charge into battle
Don’t be surprised
When you find yourself
Standing alone
I wrote this poem a while ago, and although there are times
when this is very true, I want to share with you today some cases where I have
not stood alone.
The Word Guild recently celebrated their 10th
year as an organization that gives support to Canadian Christian authors. I have been a part of this wonderful
organization for the past eight years. I recently returned from Write!Canada, a conference that unites writers from all across Canada. I plan my year
around this conference. I have had travel grants from the Manitoba Arts Council which have enabled me to attend in previous years.
The Manitoba Writers Guild recently celebrated their 30th
year. I’ve been a member of that organization for the past eight or so years as
well. There is a bookstore in Winnipeg, McNally Robinson Booksellers, that is
VERY supportive of Manitoba (and other) authors hosting book events almost
every night of the year.
As the owner of Goldrock Press, I have had the privilege of
being the editor to various anthologies. Each time, there is a bond of friendship
that grows between the writers. On July 1st, I will be doing a joint
book signing at “The Forks” in Winnipeg with a writer from my Prairie Writers
anthologies, volumes 1 and 3. Recently, this writer, Barbara Becker went on to be
the editor of her own anthologies and I was privileged to be part of one of
these: Measured Words, volume 2. On July 1st, Barbara and I will
have a table with both of our anthologies on it. Also on that table will be
some copies of A Second Cup of Hot Apple Cider, another collaborative effort between
authors from across Canada.
And yes, there are still moments when we will feel alone. The
picture above is a case in point. A Second Cup of Hot Apple Cider has sold over
5,000 copies across Canada but I had only ONE person show up for the “Manitoba
launch of A Second Cup of Hot Apple Cider.” Some days are like that. And I wasn’t
truly alone even then. That one person and I had a very good, long overdue,
visit. And the carrot cake and hot apple cider were quite yummy.
And although there will be times when we FEEL alone, we are
never truly alone. Jesus promised “I will be with you always.” Anytime…
anywhere… in our good days and in our bad, He is always with us.
Dorene Meyer
Editor of Northern Writers volume 3
1 comment:
Dorene, I'm sure that all readers who have ever had a taste similar to your Second Cup of HAC launch experience, will share an empathetic emotion.
Thanks for sharing your poignant poem and this candid account. In such experiences, we are not alone. As you say, "it's just the way things are."
Alone, but not alone ... so true, thank God. :)
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