Overheard at... Starbucks

“I’m going to Lake Tahoe with some friends.”

All around me people were talking about their last vacation of the summer: Camping, Disneyland, Las Vegas. Typically we head out for one last hurrah to Tahoe. By now the water is warm, the days are lazy, and the house needs a thorough reorganizing after the many guests of the summer. This year, though, we have planned a much more exciting trip. We are going to go to New York City and Boston. 

I say exciting for multiple reasons. First, my daughter finally gets to go to the Met and see the Egyptian exhibit there. It will definitely be the highlight of the trip for her; only rivaled by her visit to the American Girl Doll Store.

For me, though, the excitement happens when I get to Boston.

As many of you know, for the last eight months I have been on a campaign to learn to kick a field goal like my hero, Ryan, in UNTANGLING THE KNOT. Ryan’s character is a (fictional) field goal kicker for the Patriots, something that has impressed his fiancée, Mandy.

When I created Ryan’s vocation I needed to come up with a job where he was able to shut out emotion in a very unique way. Now that I have been trying to kick a field goal for a while my hunch about this skill has been proven out.

Ryan talent is directly related to his ability to shut down his emotions around the death of his wife two years earlier. But, what might work on the football field is tragic when applied to such important feelings. This is especially true with how he handles the grief his children are feeling. The lovely part of UNTANGLING THE KNOT is about how the wedding planner at the church, Gabriella, helps the kids and Ryan learn to express their grief.

So, what has all of this got to do with my kicking field goals and being excited to visit Boston?

While researching children’s grief for the book, I learned of Comfort Zone, an organization which runs grief camps for kids who have lost a loved one. With their help I plan to create a fundraiser based on kicking field goals. We are still brainstorming what this will be, (and seeking support from professional football players, so if you know any…) but my goal is to build awareness of their work through my writing and my kicking.

And, it just turns out that Comfort Zone MA is holding their camp on Cape Cod the weekend we are in Boston. I have been invited to attend as a guest and am awed at this amazing opportunity. My family and I have also been invited to take a tour of the Patriot’s Stadium… so I hope to be able to further their cause while I am there.

Please wish me luck, send ideas for the fundraiser, and sign up for feeds of my Video Blog: Learning to Kick a Field Goal- here.

I hope you have a wonderful final summer trip… wherever your journey might take you.
Deanne