Yesterday, I went to church with my friend Virginia Wright.
We are both great fans of Dr. David Cooper, pastor of Mt. Paran Church of God, a non-denominational church in Vinings. We both like what Dr. Cooper has to say so much we bring our journals and take notes. I also look up his Bible references on my iPhone so I can write down the quotes from the Bible as accurately as possible.
At this point in my life, I feel like I am a great aficionado of churches.
The previous weekend, when I was down in Savannah, I went with my mother to Christ Church on Johnson Square, the church I grew up in.
My boyfriend Ken and I go to either Trinity Center for Spiritual Living in Atlanta, or to the Course in Miracles Group at Unity North in Marietta, but our favorite church is Unity Church of the Mountains in Blairsville.
After services, Virginia and I went to purchase Dr. Cooper’s latest book, Unfinished Business: Change Your Thinking, Deal With Your Past and Move On (Lake Mary, Florida: Charisma House Book Group, 2013).
“This is my best book,” Dr. Cooper said proudly, which is really saying something, as Dr. Cooper has a lot to say.
We were fortunately last in line for Dr. Cooper to sign my book, so we got to chat with him briefly. I told Dr. Cooper that my book, What Is Healing? Awaken Your Intuitive Power for Health and Happiness, had just reached Number 1 on Amazon in two categories last week – medicine and psychology and alternative medicine reference books.
“Have I seen you on TV somewhere?” Dr. Cooper asked me.
“No,” I said.
“You can just see me in my garden,” I said.
I have indeed been on TV, and I ran my own radio show for 2 1/4 years – some of the hardest-working years of my life, I might add. But no, I am not a star except when I am running the vacuum at my house.
My gardener Gabe Horrisberger dropped off several flats of violas and Swiss chard and parsley for me to start planting my fall garden.
But before I can do that, I have to dig up the lantana and do the hard work of preparing the soil for another planting.
It all seemed like a bit too much, so I spent a good part of the weekend in my appointed sanctuary, lying in my hammock staring up at the sky and reading Dr. Cooper’s wonderful new book except when I went out to visit with my friends.
This morning I did, however, get up and start tackling the vacuum.
As they say, before enlightenment, chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood, carry water and keep vacuuming because the dust of the world never leaves you totally alone.
Everybody thinks that the book business is so glamorous, except of course my friends who are also authors, who have to commiserate with each other about all the hard work.
I am back to starring with my vacuum, and my house has three floors.
One floor down, two floors to go!