What a week! Thank you for the good wishes about Madison and her move to a new day program and residence. The next thirty days of adjustment are critical so please keep the thoughts and prayers going. And, a special thanks to those of you who came to my first book talk at the Ivy Bookshop. Seeing your familiar faces truly calmed me—just what I needed since at first I was quaking in my gold sequin boots! And to those of you who attended and are now part of our Thoughtful Thursday subscriber family: Welcome!
This week, my thoughts were inspired by my precious granddaughter Blakely Faye and the journey that is ahead for her—and yes, she is sporting gold shoes! The Montague Workshop, a newfound source of stimulating thought in my morning quiet time, said it beautifully in a message posted on Instagram:
Dear kids of the world,
It’s not supposed to be like this.
Hate is an ugly thing. Do not believe it.
There is beauty within you and all around you. You’ll forget sometimes or you’ll see people forget that. Love helps us remember.
We need each other.
Us grown ups are quick to tell you how things should be (share, be kind, love everybody), but not always great at modeling it. May you stay childlike in a world that can be so childish. Love love love love love love love. ALWAYS. When things seem crazy and you don’t know what to do? Love like crazy. Always. There’s more to say, but even more to actually do. Fight for love. Rebel joyfully.
Sincerely,
A grown up who still believes
All I can say is, yes, yes, YES!
One of the toughest questions I received at the book talk last week was about accepting circumstances beyond my control.
“I don’t understand how you got over that pain. How did you do it?” one attendee asked.
Thank heavens I had ended my talk with the letter I wrote to my daughter and son-in-law on their wedding day. Fresh in my mind, I repeated the concluding words I wrote to them that I still try to live each day,
“Let your love be larger.”
Lead with love whenever possible, I’ve learned.
Yet, what we tolerate defines us—the good and the bad. Ten years ago I wrote a column entitled, “What We Tolerate Can Reveal Our Values,” that was based on a column my father had written twenty years before that. I guess we have always struggled with what to tolerate and not to tolerate.
Regardless of the battleground, we need to fight for love. For kindness. For healthy, peaceful discussions about hard topics.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we hit the nerve of love instead of the nerve of anger?
I sure hope we can figure it out. Our future generations are counting on it.
How about you? What words have inspired you in this week of unrest? Tell me about it. I’d love to know.
My best – always,
Becky (Nana B)
P.S. Three “Hooray” moments to share:
- 40 reviews on Amazon.com. Thank you so much! Please keep them coming—still so important for the life of my book.
- Writer’s Digest published my piece on, Staying Positive While Writing About Death and Tragedy. Read, enjoy, and share if you like it!
- And for the planners in the group, I’ll be at the Baltimore Book Festival on Sunday, September 24th. Come see me AFTER you participate in Pathfinders for Autism’s Fun Run.
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