Accidentally on Purpose

I am an accidental author! That statement sounds silly, but it is actually very true. I wrote and published my first book a few months ago. I didn’t plan to write a book, nor did I realize I even could write a book, but I wrote a book, a publisher wanted to publish it, and it sells in book stores now. Who am I? I am no one special, just the lady in the grocery store, or at the bank, or you know, just a face in the crowd, but I wrote a book because I allowed myself to open up, to look, to feel and to share a spot of my life.

My plate was full at work, caring for an elderly parent, becoming an “empty nester” for the first time, and just losing my direction. Then I lost my best friend of 13 years, my beautiful dog Spot. I was devastated. Being cranky is exhausting and self pity is not a trait that I am very good at. I was grieving, but life didn’t allow me time to grieve. I was just going through the daily motions.

I honestly believe that everything happens for a reason, and much as we hate hearing that analogy, we sometimes can see the validity in it. We may never truly understand why things happen as they do, but if you allow yourself to trust, then sometimes we gain that true wisdom of understanding or at least acceptance. Vinnie came into my life. Vinnie was deaf. I didn’t have time to rescue a deaf puppy, but I did anyway. I have always been an animal person and I am simply in awe of the unconditional love that they afford the humans in their lives. This guy needed me and I needed him. My family and I learned to live in his world as he learned to live in ours.

In my book I tell our story of learning, hurdles, laughter and tears, but mostly of love and acceptance. I have a direction again, actually I never really lost it, I just didn’t allow myself to see it. I put pen to paper and told my story. Not only was it extremely therapeutic, but I now have the opportunity to have some amazing conversations with people I might never have met.

The gifts around us may not be immediately obvious, they seem random or even coincidental, but if you take the time to look and are willing to embrace them, you might just find that those gifts are accidentally on purpose! Embrace your gifts and share them!

Please share my gift. “A Spot in My Heart: Loving a Special Needs Dog which is available at bookstores and on my website: www.kellyartieri.com.