Happy April's Fool!

The Fool represents the "everyperson" - the essence of us all embarking on the journey of life, self-discovery and mastery. He is the innocent, the whimsical, the "inner child" mixed with the "inner sage" that lives down deep inside of us all. He faces life and his journey unafraid, trusting, the perfect example of total and utter faith that all will be well, that every experience has a deep essential meaning. He trapses along the crags of life, regardless of any hidden peril or disappointment, his eyes are turned to the heavens and he knows that he will be kept safe and whole along his travels. Key words associated with the Fool are new beginnings, important decisions and optimism. - The Fool Card You might be wondering what all this has to do with April's Fool. Absolutely nothing, to be honest. Or perhaps everything. You see, today is the day people play jokes, trying to fool each other. But, isn't the fool the innocent, just like the image in the card above? Today I couldn't help but be reminded of the first card of the Major Arcana in the tarot deck - The Fool. As a writer I feel like the Fool every time I start a new story. With each plot I embark on a new journey. Together with my characters I traveled down the road, unafraid of what might happen along the way, trusting that everything will work out in the end. I know things don't always work out the way I want them, yet I face the obstacles with optimism, hoping that each step I take, each leap of faith, will bring me closer to my goal. I write fiction, yet I cannot deny that there's a sense of self-discovery, an inner understanding of who I am, through my characters for there is a little bit of me in each one of them. (Sometimes there's too much of me in them.) Besides, through them I live things I'd not live otherwise. In the end, writing is an experience that transform us, giving us a new perspective about life and people. Isn't there a writer that can say otherwise? Of course, those who critize romance writers will think that writing romance isn't an experience with deep meaning. What fools they are! No. They're no fools. They're just ignorants. But go ahead and ask those who write it. Romance writers live a richer, more fulfilling lives just because of what we do.