Radical hope
being there for each other...
"Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be kind. Always.”
A set of house keys.
To most people it represents access to getting into a door but for me, its meaning runs deeper than that.
Exactly one year ago I was going through a divorce and it was a situation unlike anything I had ever faced. Both my heart and my spirit were broken.
And yet I needed to move forward and in that process, I had wonderful family and friends who helped me in so many ways.
They were wonderful not just in the generic sense of the word…Wonderful because they opened their hearts, and literally their homes, to me.
That’s where the set of keys comes in.
For about a month I needed a place to live and that’s where these wonderful people stepped in. They gave me a home to live in while they also helped me with so many of the decisions that needed to be made during this challenging period of my life.
They gave me a bed to sleep in, food to eat and arms to hold me as I confronted my emotions and my deepest fears. They were there for me as I met with lawyers, looked for an apartment, helped me with basic needs, like letting me use their washer and dryer…the list goes on and on.
And the set of keys were there for me long after I moved into my new apartment. They remained a part of my possessions with the understanding that the door is always open and I am always welcome, no matter what I am going through…
It is my hope that you, my dear reader, never have to face such adversity but if you do, I hope that you are surrounded with the love and support that I was, and still am.
As Thanksgiving approaches this year, I naturally think about what I am grateful for and obviously I have many blessings that I can count. So many things have happened during this past year and as I reflect, I feel that I am so much stronger than I was before…
But if there is one lesson that I learned it is that my journey is not mine alone. None of us get through this life completely on our own.
My journey involves all those that love me and we are all interconnected. Those wonderful people were there to remind me to never give up and in the process, they also reminded me of the greatest gift we can give each other - hope.
Hope endures and each one of us has the ability to provide others with that feeling, especially in difficult times.
Sometimes it may feel like the world is saying, “Give up.”
But please remember that hope… and the wonderful people who have touched our lives… are there to remind us, “Everything is going to be okay…”
And you know what? It turns out that they were right…
What do you think?
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Tranquil Moments…
I asked my niece, Jennifer Malphy, if she could share some of her nature photos with my newsletter audience. Each week I will feature a new photo. Here is this week’s and here’s the caption that went with it: “The view as I got to the bridge on our road this morning was absolutely stunning! No filter needed when God paints such a beautiful picture.”
This week’s Smile video…
My favorite video with my favorite message…
#believe #smilevideos #spreadkindnessandlove
The Power of Kindness
Oxytocin, the chemical responsible for feelings of love and connection, binds us as human beings.
In this Mindset Moment, Simon talks about the power of kindness and the chemical reaction we have to acts of generosity.
What I am reading…
Last week I received a copy of The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy. It was a wonderful gift from a dear friend of mine and I will always treasure it.
The Amazon description is as follows, “The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse is not only a thought-provoking, discussion-worthy story, the book itself is an object of art.”- Elizabeth Egan, The New York Times
From British illustrator, artist, and author Charlie Mackesy comes a journey for all ages that explores life’s universal lessons, featuring 100 color and black-and-white drawings.
“What do you want to be when you grow up?” asked the mole.
“Kind,” said the boy.
Charlie Mackesy offers inspiration and hope in uncertain times in this beautiful book, following the tale of a curious boy, a greedy mole, a wary fox and a wise horse who find themselves together in sometimes difficult terrain, sharing their greatest fears and biggest discoveries about vulnerability, kindness, hope, friendship and love. The shared adventures and important conversations between the four friends are full of life lessons that have connected with readers of all ages.”
Please be sure to put on the closed captioning when you watch this animation. You don’t want to miss a word…
What I am watching this week…
Again, I can’t emphasize enough how much better I feel when I am laughing and the series Miranda on Britbox does just that for me.
This sitcom revolves around Miranda, the daughter of an upper middle class couple. At 6'1" and prone to social awkwardness, and a very British inability to utter the word 'sex', she has never fit in with 'the girls'. She is awkward, inhibited, and unusual, often embarrassing herself, especially around men.
She is a constant disappointment to her mother, Penny who is desperate for her to get a proper job, or even better, a husband, but Miranda is happiest in her Joke Shop where lacking any real capacity for business, she employs her best friend, Stevie, to manage the shop. Stevie tries to run the business like they are planning on going global. Miranda loves to spend time with her best friend and her secret crush, school friend, Gary.
It doesn't seem to matter what Miranda attempts in life - be it dating, joining the gym, or dealing with her overbearing mother, she always seems to fall flat - often literally. She can never seem to leave a room without knocking something over.
If you love both physical and witty comedy, you will love Miranda.
Poetry ponderings…
Mind/Body connections…
This meditation session is a beautiful way to start or end your day. It is also excellent post active workout or when you may have a turbulent mind and could use a break, a breath of fresh air.
Comedy Lift…
I love to share funny cartoons or memes with friends and family. Who doesn’t need to smile? Here’s this week’s Comedy Lift…
Music Moments
Music inspires me in many ways. Here’s Yusuf (Cat Stevens) singing The Wind...Enjoy!
Quote of the week
Until next week. Please remember…Begin and end each day with a grateful heart…and always, always be kind….
It is those positive, supportive human interactions that mean the most in life. Thank you for sharing such a powerful example.