{Written for Define Your Blog,
at Modern Country Style.}
Two weeks ago,
at Modern Country Style.}
Two weeks ago,
seated with my buddy
from New Zealand,
pinching myself that
we were really together
after nearly five years,
chatting as if we did
it every day, she opened
her bag and gave me
the most wonderful
gift.
Words.
Words that I had sent
to her over the years,
encased in protective
mylar sleeves....
Articles that I'd found
inspiring ~
An e-mail I'd written during
a period when we were both
coping with disappointments,
where I urged her to see
the world as half-full and
not half empty ~
And a Dear Abby, which
had moved me enough
to cut it out and send it
halfway across the world so that
she could absorb its wisdom, too.
I was so astounded that she'd
not only saved these words
all these years, but read and
re-read them for comfort or
encouragement
hearing my voice through
their messages, across the miles.
{Thank you for your belief
that I had something meaningful
to say, Helga!}
power that it has to uplift, embolden,
edify and move one to smile, laugh
or even cry. When I began sending
those words to New Zealand, the
internet was in its infancy {as were
our first children} and I never
dreamed that 15 years later I
would be offering up similar
inspiration to kindred spirits
around the world via a web-log.
A BLOG : )
I stumbled on blogs by chance,
and like a child with her nose pressed
to the window of a fascinating
shop, I was drawn in immediately.
A month later I had a blog name
and a month after that, I was up
of what I intended my blog to be.
Rather, I just set out to chronicle
the small things in life that I found to
be inspiring, from vintage and
antiques to travel, photography,
books, cooking and special
moments with family and friends.
antiques to travel, photography,
books, cooking and special
moments with family and friends.
The most heartfelt responses that
I received from my writing were from posts
where I had shared an observation about
life that many of you could relate
to ~ and you let me know with
your own kind, sweet and most
buoyant comments.
I am so grateful.
and helped me to pause and really
SEE this journey that we are all on.
And if I, in turn, have gifted that sight
back to you even a little bit these last
12 months, that gives me
amazing satisfaction.
I want to close this post with the
Dear Abby that I mentioned, above.
At the time I read it in the paper it
was an encore column, so perhaps
you've also seen it before. But to me,
it sums up a life lesson better than
anything that I've read in a long,
long, time. As my friend and I
caught up on that special day two
weeks ago, we found ourselves referring
back to the power of this little
column again and again, by simply looking
at each other after sharing a sad or
miraculous or silly story and
simply repeating:
Lumps.
It really says it all.
Dear Abby:
In response to Livid in Salem, Mass., who was fed
up with people who put their children on their answering
machines: All I have to say is she and the other women in her
office need more adversity in their lives.
If their biggest problem is having to listen to small children
sing before they leave a message, they should get down on
their knees and thank God.
After the death of my 11 month old son six years ago, I
learned not to sweat the small stuff.
As the perceptive author and minister Robert Fulghum
said: One of life's best coping mechanisms is to know the
difference between an inconvenience and a problem. If you
break your neck, if you have nothing to eat, if your house
is on fire ~ then you've got a problem. Everything else is an
inconvenience. Life is lumpy. A lump in the oatmeal, a lump
in the throat and a lump in the breast are not the same kind of
lump. One needs to know the difference.
Abby, I am constantly learning. You may sign my name.
~ Peggy Hart, Bel Air, Maryland
Dear Peggy: I, too, am constantly learning. Thank you for
reminding me of something I knew, but need to be reminded
of from time to time. There are many who will read this and
appreciate the reminder.
~ San Francisco Chronicle, 1994
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| Via |
My prayer is that yours will only
be lumps of inconvenience and not
true problems, but after a year of
reading your comments, your
blogs and your e-mails, I know
that there are plenty of wonderful
people dealing with the big ones.
If you are one of them, I hope
you know that you are not alone.
Writing Privet and Holly has taught me
that and so very much more.
Thank you,
thank you,
thank you.
xx
Suzanne
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*To learn more about how
I named my blog, go here.
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