Finishing the Bridge

My family just went camping for 3 days in Sequoia National Forest. We saw a mule deer, a garter snake (not poisonous, much to my 8 year old's dismay), lots of water (rivers and waterfalls), magestic mountains that seemed to rise out of nothing and never stop, sequoias that wouldn't fit in my camera lens, and a black bear. I'd never seen a bear up close, and fortunately, this one was quite a ways up the hill from our campsite. But I've now checked it off the list, too. 

But one of the best things I saw was before we even arrived at Dorst Creek. We were stopped at one of those construction points along the road where they have one lane closed, and they put up a temporary light, so that one lane of traffic can go through. Then your light turns green and it's your side's turn. 

We were in pole position at the red light. I watched an older man pull over, get out of his car with a small piece of cardboard, about 9"x12", and prop it up against the construction sign. He put his hands on his hips, adjusted the sign a bit, then stomped back to his car. On the cardboard, scratched in black pen was "Finish the Bridge!"

My husband and I laughed, recognizing that this bridge must have been under construction for an eternity - and still is - and this is a local guy about as sick of this section of road as he can get. 

It got me thinking about unfinished things. Unfinished projects...unfinished manuscripts. I have a novel I've been working on for a year now. It's more like a chapter book, but I like to call it a novel because I feel like the word 'novel' can give people the impression that it is very, very long, and that is why, of course, I have not finished it yet. The truth is, I'm just not applying myself to it like I should be. I'm the lady in the orange vest on the side of the road, directing traffic, sipping on a strong coffee, waiting for someone to finish the book for me. I mean, the road. Did I say book? 


I thought to myself how great would it be if I had someone standing over me, watching me write my novel, occasionally putting a sign up: Finish the book!


I think that I would. And I think that I will.