Gratitude

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend."

-Melody Beattie

Last week these words carried me. They carried me through work when there was “snippy” and negative energy. They carried me when I went to visit my friend’s house to check on her husband and children. They carried me when I sat quietly and pondered how to carve out time this summer to something to be remembered.

I share them with you because, maybe they will lift you up and remind you of something deep in your heart that you have not been honoring.

Gratitude on this Saturday, to all!!!

Courage

Courage – The quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc., without fear: bravery

Yesterday I witnessed courage.  

I had been dreading Saturday all week. My dear friend Leslie lost her fight with cancer and this Saturday was going to be the service to celebrate her life and send her off to the next place, heaven for sure. Oh, these are the things life gives us – the relief that she is not in pain any longer followed by the sadness that she is gone. 

Amazing how we really understand love and friendship when someone is gone. Leslie has been in my life for over 16 years. She was a dear friend. We were neighbors, mothers, wine drinkers, and doing our best to raise our children in this new time. Leslie held strong to her convictions and her values. She kept her feet grounded at all times and did not sway with trends or the pressure to do things that were “popular” by today’s version of parents. She kept her standards high and her values were strong.

She has a wonderful husband and three amazing children. Leslie showed them courage throughout her life, but on Saturday I saw the courage she has instilled in her children and that was beautiful. Her husband John and her three children were filled with grace and courage as they hugged the hundreds of visitors. The Pastor performed a warm and celebratory service to express all of the joy and gifts that Leslie had brought to all of our lives. And then, her daughter Katherine walked up to the microphone.  

Her courage to tell the truth, make jokes, admit that it is not “fair” to lose a grandmother and a mother three years later both to cancer. She spoke from her heart, she giggled, she smiled, and her heart was broken. But, she did all of this with the courage of a woman that had experienced love, loss, pain and great suffering and she had no fear. 

Because of her great love for her mother – she showered courage over all of us, and with that we will all follow her lead and begin to heal. It is going to be hard and our hearts are broken. But, Leslie left us her husband and three wonderful children to remind the world that her love lives on forever.  

Leslie, I will miss you and I love you. I know you are at peace and will be with all of us from a better place. We will keep your family in our lives and hearts and keep seeing you shine through their lives and actions.

Godspeed.

Stretch

"The more you stretch, the more you will get out of it– both physically and psychologically." 

This has been on a bulletin board in my kitchen since 2010. I saw it in a magazine and the words felt so inspiring. The white dress and the woman just leaping is how summer makes me feel!!! Stretching matters so much in life…physically, mentally and emotionally. There is no way to avoid it.

Today I packed up my 19 year old son and his girlfriend for their first trip solo to the Texas coast. There is a tiny bay town that we have taken my children to since they were in diapers. There is something so charming about this simple town. We ride bikes, float in the ocean and just stay outside all day and night until we crawl into our beds.

When I think of going to Rockport – I want to be in this white dress leaping into the ocean breeze!!!

So refreshing to smell the salt, feel the sun and drop all of the cares of everyday life.

Safe travels to my boy as he takes his new friend to a place that has been deep in his heart and soul since he was a baby.

Amazing to watch life keep giving, changing and how we stretch into these new phases.

People have asked me why I use elastic as the cord on my bracelets…there is something so wonderful about the “stretch.” The way the bracelet can stretch with you, around your wrist…the way we stretch into these new roles, relationships and life chapters.

I will never forget my brother’s son told his mom a few months after he had lost his precious father, “Mom, I finally feel a little more elastic.” I know that might not mean much to you…but, I totally get it. Sometimes we are hit with a new reality, a twist to our story, something happens and we cannot imagine it is true…we eventually stretch into the new path that our life has taken.

Amazing words from an amazing child.

Keep growing up, stretching and traveling - every summer brings a new chapter.