One Soul, Not One Hundred
This week I’m in the throes of celebrating birthdays! Not only did my youngest turn 9 (how am I only one year away from all four girls being in double digits??), but my chapter book series, Adventures with the Saints, turned one! This also means it’s been a year since Mama Mary brought me on a pilgrimage to Fatima, as I was in Fatima the day my first book was released.
A year can be no time at all, or it can seem like an eternity. A year ago, I lived in a different state and I felt completely unsure about my path as a Catholic author. Today, I have three books available in the series, and another one in the works.
For so many years, all I could do was parent my girls. My babies were my entire life, both literally and figuratively. When I found moments of reprieve from the hands-on demands of raising four kids less than four years apart, writing (or any other form of productive work) was the last thing on my mind.
Yet my children have grown, as children will do. They’re still in our home, and my primary work still revolves around them. I love watching my girls mature and change. I also love that I have time to hear myself think when they’re at school. I miss the baby snuggles, but not the tantrums. I love that I get to write and still be a mom who’s home after school and available when they’re sick. They may not need help in the showers anymore, but my mom job isn’t done yet.
Sometimes I daydream about worldly success with my books. I struggle to reconcile the heavenly need to share these books to help kids grow closer to God with the earthly desire to attain success in the form of fame and money. If no one buys my books, kids won’t hear these special messages from the saints and have the chance to see an average Catholic family on the page. If I obsess over copies sold, I may make a few bucks at the expense of my soul.
Earlier this week a wise friend reminded me to think about the “one soul.” She told me that everyday, the Lord has one soul in mind for me to positively impact. Maybe that’s someone who needs prayers desperately and the Holy Spirit reminds me. Maybe it’s a stranger I’ll meet in public who needs financial support. Maybe it’s a daughter who’s struggling with life and needs to experience God’s unconditional love through my unconditional love. I don’t need to sell 100 books. I just need to listen to God’s call to serve the one soul.
This week I had the pleasure of spending time virtually with the 3rd grade class at Cathedral Parish School in St. Augustine, FL. The students just finished doing a book study on my 3rd book, Saint John Bosco: The Juggling Saint. The kids had wonderful questions, and life-affirming feedback. When asked what they thought about the book, I heard answers like, “I loved it,” “It was awesome,” and “I can’t wait to read the next one.”
During the Q&A time, one girl raised her hand and simply told me, “Mrs. Riley, you are the best book writer ever.” Her words penetrated deep down in my soul. I can’t stop smiling because I know that my book has impacted this class of kids. But more than that, God sent that 3rd grader for me today. I went into the Zoom meeting thinking I would inspire those young people. I left recognizing that I was the one soul that girl impacted today.
Sometimes I get so caught up in “doing” that I forget God wants to give to me too. I hope I can continue to reach the one soul every day, and remain grateful when I’m that one soul for someone else.
Copyright 2023 Maria Riley
Image: Canva
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