
Beachy Beach November Love Note
(Originally published November 28, 2017)
Since 2007 I have never missed writing a monthly love note to my office until last month. The grief in our family was too strong and the words were not there. As deep as I went I could not find them and as I high as I would reach they were not there. I know now that they were resting just beneath the surface waiting for the sunshine to penetrate.... just like those plants that are bending towards the sunshine to grab the strength and the hope in the rays, that God has placed there just for that plant!!! So now hopefully I can find the words to share for this month.
I remember one time when I had been sick for a long time and how good it felt to feel good again. No longer was it just life as usual to have a spring in my step or to not have a debilitating headache. Every breath I took was something to proclaim as joyful!!! Each step I took was a chance to look up and say Thank you God for this step and for the feel of the sand on my feet. There is something about the brightness of the sunshine after a really bad storm and so it is with the storms of life.
My sunshine came in the way of big plates of food, yummy casseroles, coconut cake,pound cake, pretty notes and big hugs…… lots of hugs. It came in the way of unexpected notes from unexpected places. It continues to come from kind people God has put in my path to be a part of our healing village. It comes in the way of a wink from God at just the right time. Running into someone in a store who took the time to share their experience with me so that my experience would not be so heavy. Sunshine shows up at my office in lovely colorful flowers with even more beautiful words attached.
I love sharing love and happy. I love sharing hope and joy. I love sharing kindness and anything that would make you want to get excited about life. I am not so good with sharing the tough stuff, the sad stuff, the stuff that makes you want to retreat. That is not my jam.
I thought that I was untouchable that NOTHING could make me hide out and hide my sunshine. I thought my place on the mountain top was secure, I am positive, I am happy…. I GOT THIS!! I think it is when we think we have it all together that we find out we don't. It is the not knowing….
The not so sure that makes you reach for something bigger than yourself. Funny thing about life, growth seems to only happen when we are uncomfortable and life gets messy and the borders are fuzzy. It is when we admit that we don't have all the answers we can look to God and to others and grow in that. It is when we are brave enough to vulnerable before others, we find more sunshine, more gifts.
I am so thankful that I am part of a beautiful, amazing and wonderful community of kind and loving people. Every corner I turn, there is love. Every place I go there is hope and the reason is because all of you are there. Thanks for being my sunshine ,during and after the rain.
I adore you all!!!
With the greatest and deepest of love,