As a result of my research and writing romantic suspense with heros from the Navy SEALs, I have been fortunate enough to have developed a friendship with a former 20-year veteran of the Teams. This is a friendship I cherish not just because he’s a great guy, but because every day I learn from him. These are life lessons, gems, he serves up and they always take the form of something obvious, turned smart and edgy, and delivered bluntly as only he can.
The most recent lesson was called keys and a credit card.
We were talking about vacations; vacations, in particular, with other families. And he said he was going to relax until anyone in the group decided to start making plans. He said that plans were what his assistant made for him during the work week and on vacations he stayed away from plans. So I asked, “What would happen if they make plans?” He said simply, “I have keys and a credit card.”
I laughed, of course, as I always do, for two reasons: the obvious simplicity of the statement
and his deadpan delivery.
But his words stayed with me. And I took them to heart. Many times, in recent years, I have found myself using my husband as my pocketbook. I leave my bag behind, no cell phone, no wallet, no ID, certainly no money or credit card and definitely no keys. I have nothing. And it occurred to me how much of my independence I’d given away and gotten accustomed to living without.
So this past weekend, I took my purse. I had keys, cash and a debit card. I even drove. It was a start.
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