Cowgirl Lolly

When I put "storyteller" on my LinkedIn profile, I felt silly. It sounded made up, unprofessional, and nothing that was going to attract potential employers. I went for it anyway because it may be all those things, but it's true. I was a born storyteller and will always be one. Even if it's not my "job."  And therein lies the issue.

Hustle Society teaches us everything you do should lead to something. There are no true hobbies anymore, only side hustles. Because a hobby is only “worth it” if you get millions of followers and likes social media. Oh, and money. Your hobby must make you money.  

And if you don’t think your hobby will do any of that, you hide it. You protect it from getting ridiculed, roasted or even worse...ignored. Because if someone posts something amazing, and it gets next to no views/likes, it literally doesn’t exist. Many brilliant ideas have been sacrificed to the almighty algorithm.  I didn’t want mine to end up like that.

When the kids were little, and we piled in the car for one reason or another, they would always ask for a story. So, I made up a character called Cowgirl Lolly. She lived in a place called Happy Junction where adventure was never in short supply.  The stories were completely improvised, and rambling, but the kids loved them. I made up new characters, new adventures, and the Happy Junction world grew.  There were mermaids, Turtle-Bees, Frog-Bears, sentient tornados, and a town appointed scientist that people listened to (that might be the most far-fetched thing in all the stories). When I began this new adventure, my sweet said, “You should write Cowgirl Lolly. For real.” Even the kids started to encourage me to put the story out into the real world. I replied with a noncommittal “Maybe” or “I’ll think about it,” by in my head I was screaming, “Nope! Not happening!” Cowgirl Lolly is too gentle for this mean world, and I decided long ago she would stay safe, and out of sight, in my heart.

I’ve been making up stories since I could talk. Trust me, I’ve got the home movies to prove it. Also, apologies to my Aunt Jill (like 40 years too late) for the absolutely unhinged story I told her at Christmas one time.  But that’s what happens, right?  Especially to women. We start off telling unhinged stories at the family Christmas party, not caring what anyone thinks. Then we are told to “act like a lady,” and got in trouble for being a “chatty Cathy.”  We are shooshed and shamed by the world, while social media tells us we can have a voice, but only if we are liked well enough (and look the part). And, while you might have a voice, you will have to deal with the absolute worst-of-worst trolls who purposefully look for ways to degrade the beauty you try to put into the world.

What’s the point?!

To be honest, that stuff just doesn’t exist in Cowgirl Lolly’s world.  I didn’t call it Happy Junction for nothing!  There is joy, kindness, silliness, empathy, whimsy and compassion. People make mistakes, but they learn from them.  Everyone helps everyone.  Judgement, hatred and fear have no place there. 

Maybe that’s the point.

Maybe it doesn’t have to be a thing that leads to the thing that leads to other thing. Maybe it will be ridiculed, roasted and ignored. And it will make zero dollars. But maybe I need to remember the whole point of the stories, and why I made them up in the first place. I wanted to show my kids there is a big, beautiful world out there, filled with adventure, and amazingly different humans. There are problems, sure, but they can be solved through community. I wanted to show them there is power in being silly, and it’s the worlds beyond ours that add color and fun to our lives.

That all sounds like something the world needs right now. Happy thoughts. Whimsy. Magic.

So, without further ado, here is the prologue to my first-ever-written-down-real-life-not-made-up-as-we-drove-to-baseball-practice Cowgirl Lolly book.  This is just a baby step.  To where?

I don’t know.

And I don’t care.

Happy Junction

In a space beyond the sea and sky

Where magic and whimsy are easier to come by

There’s a little town nestled in the valley

Where everyone is just…happy

OK that’s not actually 100% true

The beings there do get sad and mad too

They have their fair share of hurts and worries

It’s how they deal with those hurts – that’s the actual story

Here - everyone is different, just as they should be

It is welcome, celebrated and ever so lovely

And if someone is struggling or has lost their way

Everyone comes together to say

“We see you” and “I’m here” and “It’s ok”

They band together to help and learn

Because they know one day it will be their turn

I didn’t get it. I didn’t always see.

I thought giving to others meant there was less for me

And getting help was for the weak and the sad

Until I was one who needed the helping hand

The people of the valley came to my aid

And showed me the error of my ways

Now I am the storyteller of that land

Where magic and whimsy go hand-in-hand

Where everyone helps, and no one is alone.

A place called Happy Junction

...or as I like to call it

Home.