Can Both Things Be True? A Titled Story

/ roughwighting

thanks to Pixabay, snowflake theorySo, here’s A Funny Story. Life is a lot like a snowflake – each of our experiences is different from another’s.

However, we make it through this many-pronged life by sharing our pains and joys and finding those who say, “I know exactly what you mean.”

How can that be? 

Because Both Things Are True. Life is individual, and yet collective. The Precious and Fragile Things we go through, by Happy Catastrophe, seem to match a friend’s Precipice toward disaster or delight. ChatGPT, friends in cafe, deep conversation

“I’m Betting on Good,” the eternally optimistic woman, Pam Ella, insists out loud as she walks into my café, seating herself in the corner table. “It’s Small Things Like This – parallel coincidences, shared Walks in the Midnight Rain, The Scent of Hours baking cookies, visiting A Christmas Tree Farm – all of this creates a Great Big Beautiful Life that we share through universal connections.”

She’s quarreling with Pammee, who sits across from her at the table disagreeing vehemently. “None of us know what the hell we’re doing, or where we’re going or will end up. It’s like a continual Detour on the Eternal Road to nothingness, or nonsense!” Pammee groans like A Woman Betrayed, like someone Presumed Guilty before she has a chance to find something to believe in.

Pam Ella places a hand on her friend sympathetically, “By Any Other Name, you’re a skeptic, not a disbeliever. You’ve been a Correspondent with loss and despair and at times, you feel Like the Stranger in a Lifeboat. But I assure you …”

Pammee shrugs Pam Ella’s hand off and shakes her head. “We’re like Strangers in Time,” she insists. “Where I see dark, you see light. Where you see a God in the Woods, I see The Black Wolf, ready to devour me.”    

Still Life at Eighty The two friends, as different as sunrise and sunset, sit together at my cozy café. I hand them both a cup of hot chocolate, hoping that even If Tomorrow Never Comes, they’ll reach some consensus that there is Still Life at Eighty, Or Sixty. Or Thirty.

“Let’s come to the Four Agreements,” Pam Ella suggests, the whipped cream on the top of her drink spreading on the tip of her nose, like a cloud on a clear sky.

“What agreements?” Pammee asks, suspiciously.

“First, you won’t be Gone Before Goodbye.”

“What does that mean?” Pammee sips her hot chocolate as if afraid it will burn her tongue.

Pam Ella continues, “It means despite our differences in opinion we are always there for each other. I don’t want to get any Notes About Your Sudden Disappearance.” Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance

Pammee sits back in her café chair and releases a full-throated hearty laugh. “Oh, my dear Pam Ella. You are To Die For. I know my thoughts are Not Quite by the Book of eternal hope and happiness that you live by. But you can always Tell Me Everything and I will listen. I might even learn. But mostly, my friend, I will always love you.”

“Aha!” Pam Ella responds, throwing her hands up as if she’s just made a touchdown. You see? Earth’s the Right Place for Love. And love is what connects us all to the Universe!” She gulps the last of her hot chocolate with a wide grin.

ChatGPT, cafe conversationI chuckle as I pick up the empty cups and watch Pam Ella and Pammee leave the café, arm in arm. The Atmosphere has changed from stormy to serene. Once again, my recipe worked: dollop of cream, a dash of cinnamon, and a splash of magic.

Like Lightning in a Mason Jar, or a snowflake on the tongue, insight happens in an instant and lasts for a lifetime.  

Happy New Year, readers. The beginning of each year, I enjoy writing a story using titles from many of the books I read the year before. I never know where the titles will lead me. In this case, do you have an idea of who the two characters are? I think we often have these discussions within ourselves – the positive, and the negative. Which side wins in YOUR life? Below are the covers of the books I read in 2025. 

MY 2025 BOOKS
Woman Betrayed, A by Barbara Delinsky
The Last Devil to Die by Richard Osman
A Happy Catastrophe by Maddie Dawson
Tale of the Seasons' Weaver by D. Wallace Peach
The God of the Woods by Liz Moore
 
The Scent of Hours by Barbara O'Neal
Detour on the Eternal Road by John W. Howell
In the Midnight Rain by Barbara O'Neal
We Solve Murders by Richard Osman
 
When the Baby Is Not OK by Jennifer J. Brown
Not Quite by the Book by Julie Hatcher
The Christmas Tree Farm by Laurie Gilmore
 
Every Precious and Fragile Thing by Barbara Davis
To Die For by David Baldacci
 
Night Watch by Jayne Anne Phillips
The Wedding People by Alison Espach
The Briar Club by Kate Quinn
The Last Policeman by Ben H. Winters
If Tomorrow Never Comes by Allison Ashley
Tell Me Everything by Elizabeth Strout
The Four Agreements by Miguel Ruiz
 
Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance by Alison Espach
Betting on Good by Wendy Francis
The First Gentleman by Bill Clinton
Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan
Still Life at Eighty by Abigail Thomas
The Block Party by Jamie Day
No. 23 Burlington Square by Jenni Keer
And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer by Fredrik Backman
Lightning in a Mason Jar by Catherine Mann
The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods
James by Percival Everett
The Dream Lover by Elizabeth Berg
Memorial Days by Geraldine Brooks
Strangers in Time by David Baldacci
The Phoenix Crown by Kate Quinn
The Stranger in the Lifeboat by Mitch Albom
Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Murder at the Chestnut Wig by A.M. Reade
The Correspondent by Virginia Evans
Both Things Are True by Kathleen Barber
Presumed Guilty by Scott Turow
The Last Letter of Rachel Ellsworth by Barbara O'Neal
Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry
I See You've Called in Dead by John Kenney
By Any Other Name by Jodi Picoult
Precipice by Robert Harris
The Black Wolf by Louise Penny
Funny Story by Emily Henry
Earth's the Right Place for Love by Elizabeth Berg
The Bird Hotel by Joyce Maynard
Gone Before Goodbye by Reese Witherspoon
 
 

82 thoughts on “Can Both Things Be True? A Titled Story”

      • Pete & Pam, yes, the link took me to my own challenge page on Goodreads and I’ve had this happen on other blogger’s’ posts. However, Pam, I enjoyed looking through your read books by going to your page in Goodreads and then clicking on see author profile and then challenge 2025! Oh, you’ve given me so many more books I want to read this year! 😊📚📖

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        • Wow, Annika, you went above and beyond! Thank you. I realize that some of my readers aren’t on Goodreads, so I was able to copy and paste (thanks to Goodreads) all the covers of the books I read in 2025. If you have not read any books by Elizabeth Berg, I encourage you to do so. I found an older one of hers this year, historical fiction about George Sand, and it is one of my favorite books of the year! The Dream Lover (horrible title for the book, but still…)

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    • Great question. I know some writers use that device (and index cards). But no, I had all the titles listed on a piece of paper and as I wrote, I just looked down the list and found a title that worked for whatever was going on in the story. Rather fascinating, because I had a lot of titles to choose from (60 I believe) but just the right ones popped into my eye as I scanned the list.

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    • Magic is a necessity these days (probably since the beginning of time). We just need to recognize it. In this case, the magic helped the two friends see eye-to-eye even if they have different philosophies. Here’s to a creative 2026, Balroop. Please. Continue to write your poetry!

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  12. Pam, this is brilliant! You’ve created a wonderfully imaginative and deeply philosophical story around the titles and it flows seamlessly. I got so carried away by their discussion that I had to go back to look at the titles individually. Glad the magic brought harmony to them. Yes, the battle of the positive and negative seems to be everlasting but mostly the positive wins out. Now, I’m off to look at some of the books … a couple or so I’ve read and enjoyed earlier but many more to add to my list to read. Happy Reading in 2026!

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    • Yin and Yang. The positive and the negative within us all. Not sure anyone guessed that in my story, I am Pammee and I am Pam Ella (many readers don’t know perhaps that my name is Pamela). I think we debate within ourselves often. 🙂

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    • Thanks Darlene. This yearly post probably takes me longer to write than any of my other ones. I had a long list of books (60+) to choose from as I wrote this story. I just pasted now all the covers of the books I read in 2025. Makes for a loooong post here, but fun for people to see the colorful and original titles.

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      • I still may do what you did, Pam, as I was going to post my books from last year. I couldn’t get it to post, so I contacted customer support. When that person wanted to set up a phone conference to figure out how to help me, I gave up. Do I care that much? Apparently not. 😊The odd thing was that he contacted me two more days to see if I wanted his help, even after I told him I wasn’t interested.

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    • YES! And you may be the first reader here to realize that the two “friends” are me, Pamela – i.e., Pam Ella and Pammee. I think we battle with these philosophies within ourselves most of our lives because, as you say, we are always a work in progress.

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  16. I can’t decide what is more impressive . . . that you keep track of the books you read each year or that you weave the titles into a story. 😀

    Our reading overlapped some this year ~ We Solve Murders, The Wedding People, James, and Funny Story. But don’t ask me what other books I consumed this year. I read them, I enjoy them, and I let them go (almost always).

    Happy Reading!

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    • I know exactly what you mean Nancy. I wouldn’t remember the titles of all the books except Goodreads records them for me. Very helpful! I often read three books at a time: a hardback, one on my Kindle and one on Audibles. I figure it keeps my brain active! Happy reading to you for 2026. 🤓

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  17. Happy New Year Pam. Very clever as always. I’ve read two of those – the Evie Woods I thought was lovely and excellent. The Claire Keegan short and disappointing after all the great reviews I’d read. I’m interested that you like the very English Richard Osman – I think I’ve read one of his which was clever but a bit too cosy for me.

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    • I felt the same way about the Claire Keegan book. Glad to hear I’m not the only one. I must admit I have enjoyed every Richard Osman book I’ve read. I never considered them cozy mysteries but there is definitely a lot of humor in them as well as mystery. And I like the changing of the stereotype of the elderly. These “mature” characters are intelligent and wise and fun!

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  18. I always enjoy your stories based on the titles of the books you have read. This particular story tells me so much about you (ever hopeful, glass half-full, belief in a magic that will intervene in even the harshest of realities). And, I must confess this last year you have dragged me by the hand to see the brighter side of our existence here on this mortal realm. We may be wave tossed and driven by the wind, but together we steady the ship.

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  20. Lovely creative writing prompt! And a great, compassionate story of connection. I’m going to try this with my Goodreads read-list from 2025. Thanks for including my book in your year look-back here, your feedback meant so much to me early on in 2025. Many on your list will go on my to-read list now. Wishing you happy reading in 2026!

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    • It’s a really fun writing exercise Jennifer. I hope you do try it and feel free to share it with me if you do! Your book was one of the top books of 2025 for me. I learned so much work from it and it is an excellent memoir. Are you working on the next one?

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  28. Such a creative post, Pam. How about that, all of the book titles incorporated in your post, and drawing attention to polarities in our life too. Positive and negative, dark and light, strangers and connection… Very cleverly done. Love the detail too, like the foam of hot chocolate touching the nose – I think it happens to all of us but not something we like to point out but rather quickly wipe away😄 We are all different but we can certainly get along. Great writing 🙂

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  30. Those conversations we have within ourselves are always enlightening Pam.. And like you, I love to see my glass half full and not half empty…

    Great talent in incorporating all of those book titles within this post Pam..

    It’s all about grasping hold of our positive side, and focusing in on creating good outcomes in all we set out to achieve… And yes, sometimes there will be knock-backs for sure… But they only serve to emphasize the good times when we have them..

    Sending lots of love as we end the very first month of the year… Gone in a flash!…
    Sending much love your way Pam xx 💖🦋💖

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    • Thanks for much for reading my “titled” (but not entitled” story, Sue. 🙂 Yes, I think it’s important to listen to our voices. Fortunately my optimistic one is stronger than the other. 🙂 Happy February 1!!

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Always a pleasure to read your thoughts.