Sometimes the good guys actually win.    I just read tomorrow’s book review in the NYTimes of my friend Beverly Jensen’s novel, The Sisters From Hardscrabble Bay.   It’s a rave – written by Richard Russo.     What makes it particularly joyful is that Beverly died several years ago.  Her wonderful husband persisted in getting her stories out there; eventually, one was picked up by a literary magazine, another was published in the Best Short Stories of 200?  I forget which year.  Recently.    Viking took a chance on a dead writer and published this book.   It’s already been picked up by Oprah as one of her August “reads” for her followers.   I figure that’s a wider net than the NYTimes these days, but the great story is that this has actually happened.   I feel less cynical this morning than I usually do.  And I don’t even realize most of the time how cynical I’ve become.   But there it is.   A gift from the universe.   To remind me.   Like the stained glass of Chartres.   Joseph Campbell said “follow your bliss.”  Well, someone else probably said it before him, but nevertheless, there it is.   Follow your passion.  Take the action, don’t predict the results.  Bev died feeling that she hadn’t contributed anything meaningful to the world.   I’m asking myself what that means this a.m.   I have a healthy ego, just as she did.  I think most creative people who have had the opportunity to put their talents on display and feel the acknowledgement, have a difficult time falling back into humility, being part of the pack, moving with the masses.   What’s the message here?   I’m alive?   Seize the day?   Go for it?  What’s “it?”   Hmmm.