by Dorothy Johnson, Miss July
Reflections from Dorothy’s Ridge

I love July.  I know it’s Hot, Hot, Hot, but the prospect of celebrating our country’s birthday and our wedding anniversary makes it one of my favorite months. Serving as Miss July for Arkansas Women Bloggers tops it off like a fireworks’ grand finale.

Courtesy of Steve Rucker

The invitation for this gig was a wonderful surprise. However, I must confess I feel a bit like I did on my wedding day—beyond happy yet just a little afraid of stumbling as I walked down the aisle. Even though I’ve been blogging for two years, I must confess that I’m still a novice at navigating social media. You probably already know that because I’m fairly certain my unwitting gaffs pop up on a regular basis. Thank you, Arkansas Women Bloggers, for your wonderfully inclusive platform.

I love this phase of my life (except for the way my body has begun to betray me). My husband, Terry, and I are enjoying the freedom of retirement. He encourages me in my writing while I support his pursuits in music and radio-controlled airplanes. We have three wonderful children and eight fabulous grandchildren. How could I not love it?

I had worked as a writer and editor but had been out of publishing a long time when I attended my first Hemingway-Pfeiffer writers’ retreat several years ago. That’s where I met our Miss May, Talya Boerner of Grace Grits and Gardening. We became friends and she encouraged me to start a blog. But I had lots of excuses. Life was busy. I knew nothing about the process and wasn’t sure I’d even enjoy it. Talya was persistent though, so I eventually chose a name, watched a YouTube video and set up an unimpressive page that slept in my computer until I saw her again, At the next retreat, she took me by the hand, tweaked the design and pushed me out into the ether. I’m happy to report that I was hooked almost immediately, and I’ll be forever grateful for my friend’s mentoring. So, Fellow Bloggers, never underestimate the value of your encouragement and assistance to other writers.

Last year, I joined ARWB and attended my first conference which provided encouragement and more information than my brain could contain. Our Facebook forum is expanding my knowledge, too. I’m hoping to meet the online friends I’ve connected with there at this year’s conference. If you haven’t registered, do it now. It’s definitely worth the time, money and travel.

But back to the joys of this month, July 7 is Terry’s and my 40th wedding anniversary. By the time you read this, we’ll be on our way to one of our favorite destinations, Navarre Beach, for ten days. We discovered Florida’s Emerald Coast shortly before we married and have returned nearly every year on vacation. There’s no better spot to celebrate our life together.

We love beach sitting. For us, a canopy, comfortable chairs, gulf breezes, a good book and lots of sunscreen add up to contentment. When the beach gets too hot, we escape to the cool of the condo or take in a movie. Sometimes I crank up the car air conditioner and check out the flea markets and shops. Part of the appeal of the beach is being spontaneous.

This Fourth of July, we’ll be watching fireworks from our balcony. Then,  on Monday, we’ll go out for an anniversary dinner at a special restaurant. You’re bound to read about it here.

I’m so grateful for my life with this good man. We married when my son was ten, my daughter was eight, and his son was three. Early on, they became our children. As with all families, we’ve had our rough patches. But, as I look back, I can sum it all up with a simple quote from my favorite T-shirt. Life is Good. And I must add, God is good. I know it could change in an instant, but right now, that’s how it feels. Maybe my growing collection of those shirts has something to do with their message. When I see a new color and design, I just can’t help buying it. (I often find them for half price mixed in with the exercise apparel at TJMaxx.)

I hope life feels good to you today and that you mark the Fourth of July with your own celebration. For all our troubling issues, our country is still the best place in the world to live. I’m thankful I was born here.

May God bless the United States of America.

And you, too, my friends.

The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
surely I have a delightful inheritance.
Ps. 16:6