Tyler on the Move: A Pencil in the Eye

Tyler, Vanessa and Tara Oaks.

When I was in Maui for a book signing, I bought myself a plain black magnet with an Eleanor Roosevelt quote on it. Hers is advice I seem to follow unwittingly:
“Do one thing every day that scares you.”

While signing books in a bookstore in Maui certainly does not qualify as scary, I wanted the words on my refrigerator to remind me that I had taken one step that scared me after another to get to that place. Plus, I do need that daily prompt since I have a lot more scary steps to take in life…though perhaps not as scary as they could be.

With my twin daughters now seven, long gone are the days of child-proofing our home. Still, I had no idea magnets should come with warning labels. When my grandmother came over for a visit, Vanessa and Tara led her into the kitchen to show her all our magnets bought on travels. My grandmother read the Eleanor Roosevelt magnet aloud and was quiet afterward, as most of the family was after reading the quotes I choose to adorn my world. Vanessa and Tara, however, were ecstatic. My grandmother asked them if they knew what the magnet meant.

“It means doing something scary, like sticking a pencil in your eye,” Vanessa explained. “Or climbing way up high on a ladder and jumping off!” Tara added. Oops. With all the different combinations of words around the house, I realize I need to be a bit more thorough in my explanations. Still, children have a way of bringing everything into perspective. Scary step after scary step, that next phone call, presentation or introduction won’t seem so bad. At least I won’t be standing at the top of a ladder with a pencil in my eye.

Tyler Oaks earned her Bachelor of Arts in Spanish from California State University, Stanislaus and her Master of Arts in Spanish from California State University, Sacramento. Tyler lives in California's Napa Valley with her husband and twin daughters. Tyler is presently at work on her next novel.