The marble theory.

As I've shared many times over, I have difficulty talking about my books. I get very flustered and don't know what to say; I can't tell anyone what they're about, because they are about so many things. And, I want them to be about what my readers think they're about. That is so important to me.

My friend Shawn recently shared a personal theory that I think is a great way to talk about On the Way to Someplace Else, though. He called it his "marble theory." Here it is:

Each person is a bag of marbles. There are only 10 unique marbles in the whole world; and only seven fit in a bag. So, we are seven marbles, and eventually we find seven other marbles that pique our interest. Here's the thing, though: There can be only a total of three marbles that are different from any of ours. We are grounded by the four marbles we have in common and intrigued by the three that are different. Those three marbles excite and fascinate us.

But then things change. Either externally, via some event beyond our control, or internally, brought about by dissatisfaction with the choice we have made. We decide there are better marbles someplace else (ah!). So we go in search of another bag. And we may find it. But again, there will be only three marbles that are different from ours.

I really like this theory. It's visual and palpable, even if you don't play marbles. And it works for OWSE, because even though Anna's motivation was more about finding another life versus another person, her outcome was much the same.

The real question for Anna--and for everyone--is what was learned along the way. We all seek different marbles occasionally; it's human nature. But if we go looking without opening our minds to the lessons, we're never going to grow. When we realize that we essentially traded three marbles for three marbles, will we be disappointed or will we accept it and recognize that, ultimately, we are responsible for our own happiness?

Shawn joked that I may actually have eight marbles, though. I'm not sure that's a good thing.

It does explain why my head hurts so much.