WWFD? What Would Farren Do?
“Bravery is the audacity to be unhindered by failures and to walk with freedom, strength, and hope, in the face of things unknown” - Morgan Harper Michael
On the many occasions when I had misadventures on the Camino, I asked myself “What would Farren do?” She’s the lead in my feature film screenplay, a romantic dramedy, Wayward.
My forgetfulness with the contents of my hotel room safe made me question whether I should have made the trip to Spain, whether my solo traveling days were over at sixty - or should be. In the first draft of Wayward, I inserted several anthem songs, to set the tone, knowing they would likely be pulled, but I needed them to help set the tone. The most powerful of my choices was Sara Bareilles’ Brave - the song I “cut my man right out of my hair” to. It’s my anthem song now and one I dance to with my granddaughter over Zoom. I wanted to share that feeling of empowerment with Farren and with her potential audience. One song, the right song, can lift us up and move us forward.
My forgetfulness at leaving my documents and money in my hotel room safe could also have been attributed to jet lag and the stress of stepping away from my responsibilities at home. It was a more affirming option to consider so I ran with it. Or taxied. Three cab fares instead of one would mean cutting expenses elsewhere, but I was grateful my belongings were safe and so was I. I sometimes imagine what my pilgrimage would have been like if I’d actually lost them.
Back at the Parador, with time to kill before the next train, I decided to collect myself in the inner courtyard with some caloric courage and sangria. It was a lovely setting for a reset. Attitude is everything! Farren, an accomplished marketing guru in need of rebranding, knew that, too. Mistakes happen. It’s what you do with them that matters. Besides, when Wayward becomes a cult classic like ‘The Way’ - one can dream - I’ll write the taxi blunder off, along with the hotel room. It was a timely reminder to save my receipts. I also decided to put a stickie by the doorknobs of future hotel rooms to remind myself to check the safe.
And, for those of you who believe in fate, if I hadn’t had the setback, I would never have connected with Christina…
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Sometimes a character, scene, or plot line needs a reset - a reenvisioning - just like we do.
Sometimes I take the “how-to” question with me on a walk.
How do you reset?
Has serendipity happened upon you in your travels and /or writing?
Ultreia! Forward, together.
