Yesterday I sent out an email to my subscriber list telling you about a book of fill-in-the-blank appreciations that I love. It was a simple email that I’d drafted up on Wednesday and had hoped to send that day. But I got busy and didn’t do it. When I realized I hadn’t sent it, I quickly added a line about the upcoming weekend, and whisked it off.
That wasn’t the right thing to do.
It was lazy.
And it didn’t speak to some things that I should have spoken to.
Thanks to one of my coaching clients (you know who you are!), I got a reminder that there was so much more to say.
Because the truth is, the email I sent was against a backdrop of the anniversary of 9/11. It was against the backdrop of so many people displaced from their homes due to war and violence. It was against the backdrop of a huge wildfire in my state. It was against the backdrop of two teenage boys who went boating and never returned. Sadly, this paragraph could go on for miles — the long list of loss, fear, violence, and terror.
Imagine all of the world’s grief as a backdrop for my simple little email.
And in light of that, here’s what I should have said: Life is so fragile. Life is fleeting. We never know what is going to happen to ourselves or the people we love. Everybody is up against something — be it loss, illness, depression, or fear. Even if they look bright + sunshiny on the outside, you can bet there is a weaving of darkness with that light.
Because of that, because of so much pain, the thing I want us to turn our attention to over and over again … is love. And kindness. And simple, small moments that offer pinpricks of light to anyone and everyone who may be in the dark.
That book I told you about yesterday could seem like a breezy fun way to love + appreciate people. I presented it that way. Because I was not being mindful of the larger picture. I was not pausing to reflect on what’s *really* true.
Please forgive me. I am so grateful to my client who said, “There’s so much pain right now. You have to write about that. You have to help.”
She’s right. There is so much pain. And the way that I can help, and the way that I best know for us all to help, is to keep our eyes open for people and places in the world that need our pinpricks of light. And if we are the ones in darkness, we need to trust that we can ask people we love to help us find the fireflies of light in our heart’s backyard.
I’m reminded of that quote that is attributed to Plato and Ian MacLaren: “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.”
With that in mind… with the world’s grief, loss, and sadness as the backdrop, I implore you to consider how important it is that we take the time to express our love + appreciation + concern to the people in our lives.
There’s no such thing as a silly little love note. There’s no such thing as a small gesture of love. There’s no such thing as an insignificant act of kindness. These are the armor we wear when we walk out the door each day.
I apologize for not saying that yesterday. It is truly the heart of why I do what I do.
With this as the backdrop, I remind you to please take the extra five or ten minutes to express your love to someone today. And if you need a little help, Alexandra’s book will make it oh-so-simple.
With gratitude,
Sherry
P.S. You can also download my free two-page printable with some tiny notes that spread big love. Or, you can call someone you love and let them know you care. If you know someone who is dealing with illness, grief, loneliness, or fear right now, take a moment to reach out. Be their pinprick of light.