Can you feel the road calling? 

I sure can all year long and sometimes it feels like we’re on a road to nowhere. 

This feeling is a pull I feel year-round. 

When there are snow covered mountains, trees that need leaves on them again, and even now as the summer days are long, light and free. 

Days when I look ahead and only see the tops of where I want to go and need to create a plan of action. 

There is, of course, a song that goes with this pull by the Talking Heads. 

Even this band’s name gives me a reason to head out on the road! 

It’s time to talk. 

Let’s think about the things I know and have seen. 

Do you find that you look and think you can see where you want to go at the end of the journey but are not sure of where to go? 

The road may be missing from here to there.

The road may be missing from here to there. 

How does that happen? Are there times that you want to jump to the top of the mountain? 

Or are you like me and prefer to create a plan to begin even when you don’t see the next step clearly? 

I once began a summer of day trips to make the most of every day in front of us. 

It was going to be a time of looking for fun around every corner for me and our son, Dallin. 

Quick trips to say hello to family in a small town an hour away. 

Looking for a favorite cleaning device in every store from here to there and everywhere. 

Summer learning with books and props to have fun reading all week long.

How did this happen? 

I planned each week with a theme and field trip. 

Can you even stand it? I did this to create predictability and layers of fun for every day. 

We’re on a road to nowhere again.

Yes! All summer took us out and about and then it was like this. We’re on a road to nowhere again.

I added canoe trips, horseback riding, trips to the library and jaunts to other states if they were within a 3-hour drive. 

Oh yeah, add in a food stop and it was time for the golden years to come into play.  

Who would even think about this, you ask. 

Perhaps our planning came from not always knowing what the road was going to become every step of the way. 

Somewhat like this road here. 

Yet I knew where I wanted to be in the end. 

Having lived every moment with such joy.

Having lived every moment with such joy that we could look around and know it was amazing along with the unknowns. 

I will tell you this. Some days were like being a storm chaser and dodging large hailstorms and flood gates. 

We became efficient at making changes, as needed, while looking up to keep the final destination in mind. 

Some trips were shortened to 10 minutes after a trip to get a favorite nugget and fry. 

Others were rescheduled by the boy who made changes all along his day. 

Horseback riding came to an end eventually and so did visits to family for both of us.

Somehow it turned into something good.

I do love to take trips year-round now and look at mountains ahead with this thought. 

We’re on a road to nowhere is sometimes where I would love to be. 

Think about it for a minute! 

Pack a bag, choose a direction, and drive. 

Perhaps stop for food at a place that looks tasty and talk about what is seen all around. 

Maybe stop for the night and watch the stars pop out as dreams for tomorrow are laid out one by one. 

What do you think? 

M’hm. 

Would you add more to your road to nowhere? 

Let’s plan it, my friends.

My husband and I went on an impromptu road trip recently to another part of our state. 

It included rolling up and down mountain roads while watching clouds change from being high in the blue sky to then being deep gray colors with barely a bit of sun peeking through above them. 

As if we had become storm chasers in a few short hours. Not that we had time to go to school to conduct meteorological research and yet we were on the lookout for what could come. 

I took moments to watch the sky as we listened to music and talked about life. 

Do you know that the sky can hold secrets if you have time to look up? It’s what we found out on this jaunt. 

We found that the billowing clouds coming across the blue sky started out as friendly, and even held shapes such as a turtle, a large whale that told tales, and then a swimming ghost. 

Perhaps you’ve seen shapes in the clouds in your realm, as well. 

I can do this for hours on a hot summer day and have plans to do it again in the coming months.

It is lovely to watch the clouds until you notice that the gray clouds have come and then it’s time to be a storm chaser. 

On this trip, I would scan the horizon by the side of my husband as he drove with eagle eyes. 

We had done this before and not only as ones who were watching for rain and snow. 

Watching for the next storm.

Watching for the next storm is what we have done together for a long time. 

It has looked like this in our life. Billowing white clouds have been the small moments of life that come when things have gone along almost perfectly. The rhythm in the day is set with routine and flow, even if we have not expected this to be part of the day. Where did the bright blue sky go? 

The deep gray can overtake even that last bit of sun and the storms are here. 

It’s those big deep gray clouds that have suddenly appeared that have caused us to grip the steering wheel and hold on tightly. 

One time, I was on my way to pick up Brandon from the airport many years ago and I became a storm chaser, yet again. This time our son was with me, and he was fascinated with the storm rolling in around us.

I was not as thrilled yet needed to stay calm as a cucumber to keep the trip easy going. 

My hands were gripping the wheel and my knuckles were white with pressure. 

The center white strip of the road could be seen for about 10 feet in front of me as fog had also become part of the storm. 

The chase was on.

The chase was on as we could neither stop nor go faster. 

What to do! 

I kept going with music rolling over us. 

Here is what I found that day. The deep gray clouds did indeed make me a storm chaser and my heart was pounding. 

The complete look of calm on our son’s face that day held my utter terror at bay as he had trust that we would get through the storm and arrive to pick up Brandon. 

I did both of those things because I had to. 

There was a second piece I realized as we came out of the fog and storm. 

Following the center white strip of the road while staying with the rhythm of our life had indeed kept me going. 

That, along with believing in the trust of our son, made it possible. 

There is one more thing that I found that day. 

It makes me pause as I have kept it near me since then. 

The collateral beauty that our son taught that day was deep and personally felt. 

He kept his eye on me.

He kept his eye on me the entire time we were in that storm. 

I was his measuring stick, and he was mine.  Together we came through that storm and found Brandon at the other end. 

The storm was gone on our return trip home. 

My friends, this was the same on the recent trip up and down mountains.

The bright blue sky came back. 

The beauty was there still and the storm that had come suddenly was gone. We had come through again. 

The storms keep peeking over white billowing clouds even now. 

They have made me grip a steering wheel until my knuckles are white. It is then the trust I have in the rhythm of life flows and somehow, I keep watching that center line. 

Will another storm roll in?

Undoubtedly. 

Will I have someone who is there to hold my terror at bay? 

Today it is yes, with his hand in mine. My land, I truly hope and pray that it is always so. 

If not, I will look for the collateral beauty. I will look up and remember our son who was there on that trip and through the storms of life. His trust was grand and taught me how to hold on tight while trusting.

Let’s roll through these mountains and storms together, my friends.

It’s springtime in the Rockies and my tulips are popping up between the rocks. 

Snow is melting and I can see three more things outside my window. 

Fruit trees are budding along the west fence. 

Lilac bushes have leaves pushing out onto new growth out in the north lawn. 

The trampoline is ready to be cleaned and bounced on for one more year in the south forty. 

All of these things mean it is time to celebrate! 

Here is what else this time of year means for me. 

Soon we will also be celebrating the one who helps me pause and pay attention to each of these incredible things around me. 

Every year, this week brings me to a moment and space to reflect on what fruit trees, budding leaves and trampolines mean. 

To me, they always bring me back to the bouncing, resilient son of ours who was born this week.  

The leaves tulips were popping up and leaves were pushing out as Dallin came into our life.  

 He was grand and quiet yet beautifully impactful for eternity. 

Picture in your mind what we did to celebrate. 

Then it meant gathering smiles with new blankets and food for our family.

Over the years, the joy multiplied with more smiles that grew into laughter, jokes, grand changes and yes, even more food. 

The time to celebrate came near.

Food became one of the things that I looked forward to this time of year, as the time to celebrate came near. 

The good memory food was important for me to remember over the years and that has included some of the following. 

Popsicles and jello eaten with pudgy fingers that held the cold, slippery food close. 

Spaghetti eaten from a bowl with those same fingers until a fork made sense.

There were grilled cheese sandwiches and french fries dipped in fry sauce.

Then chips came along with the ability to pull a full bag out of the top cabinets.

Veggies of all kinds were also dipped into a creamy ranch dressing with as much being scooped onto each piece as possible.

Chocolate cake with candles to blow out for each year.

Can you see the food trends that were coming into play?  

It was delicious and delightful to see!

One of the places we go when it’s time to celebrate this week is to get our favorite french fries.

This place started to become a favorite many years ago during an early time to celebrate Dallin’s birthday. 

We found it by chance one year and then found that the fries were perfect for dipping. 

In fact, that first time of going to get fries and a grilled cheese is when Dallin found out that he could eat his own fries, dip them into the fry sauce and then grin while taking the fries of those around him, especially if they were his dad’s fries. 

Here is what we also found, my friends. 

We took time to celebrate more than birthdays.

Time spent eating and being out as a family is where we took time to celebrate more than birthdays. 

We found that it was important to celebrate when new things were learned and with other things such as running with team members at Special Olympics, helping family members move into new homes, and doing work at home. 

It was all worth going out to celebrate and taking the time to do it together as a family. 

Now, we make time to do the same to keep the memories present as we pause with smiles in our hearts. 

Yes, we do get fries.

We also smile wide as we dip them in the sauce and look for what to celebrate next. 

These moments came next.

These moments came to me next as I watched this time of year budding. 

Let’s look at the trampoline for a moment as there has been one in our life for many decades. 

We do have one in our yard even now and this gives me more time to celebrate. 

It was on Dallin’s birthday every year that this bouncing fun was set up by the two of us. 

Somehow, we would stretch each spring to get the mat ready for a new season of jumping and laughter. 

Now, the jumping is mostly done one person at a time with the mat at ground level for easy access. 

I can feel the joy coming through to me as I think about a full season of enjoying this fun filled part of spring. 

As I pause here, I wonder if there are moments coming to your memory about this time of year. 

Perhaps ones that come popping into your mind, like the tulips coming up around me, as you take time to celebrate with those who are near you, or who have been close to your family. 

Think about who has brought those to you. 

Sit with them for a moment. 

Can you do one or two things that will make you smile with those around you? 

Take time to celebrate and maybe find some french fries with sauce.

There is a place we like to go together a couple of times a year, or more, when our time allows. 

We drive about 3 hours south of our home and then turn right into a red rock canyon. 

This quote from Henry David Thoreau Journal dated January 21, 1853, captures the essence of what flows over us as our car comes near this destination.  Silence alone is worthy to be heard.  

Can the sun be brighter, and our world become easier as soon as we glimpse this favorite space? 

It does seem so!

Silence here is part of the reason. 

Times has taught us how to embrace the silence, especially one time on our trip as this happened. 

We arrived to find most of the park empty as winter was in full, cold bloom. 

The overnight temperatures were hovering near 0 degrees so at sunrise we bundled up and went to the top of this canyon. 

The road was cleared of snow from a recent storm. Some of the trails were open so we hopped out and braved the now 7 degrees. 

We were the only ones around. 

It was magical as we walked between hip high walls of snow to the edge of the red rock. 

The view from this level always makes us pause and this day we stood with our hoods and zippers up. 

The silence was indeed worthy to be heard.

The silence was indeed worthy to be heard as we waited for our souls to embrace the full calm of the moment. 

How did someone know this to be true so many years before we stood in on that edge? 

It still makes me pause and perhaps it made Henry David Thoreau pause at that time. 

Here is what we found that day. 

The cold and silence were combining to create a powerful force that felt like it was seeping into our souls. Then we let it go even deeper. 

We found that this was both invigorating and calming. 

As we dropped out of the canyon, there were more chances to stop and listen to the silence at more stops along our drive back to our warm room.

That day had me wondering about another level to this piece as I remembered times in the past that silence had not brought this level of calm to any of us in our family. 

A time when noise was always around me.

There was a time when a constant roll of noise was always around me. 

Movies, music and laughter was on a loop in our house. 

It was the best of times, and yet I would seek for moments of quiet. 

Can you imagine?  Perhaps your answer is yes, and you are in that moment of your life. 

The phases and spaces of life are here for each of us, my friends. 

Can you describe yours in a thousand words or less? 

Silence during that time for me would have brought me to my feet to create sound around me. 

Music could have been one of things turned on quickly to add some pizazz and noise to the day.

The other part of silence.

Here’s the other part with silence. 

It is not always comfortable, can take you to the edge and also be invigorating.

Can you feel both sides of it in your life? 

When I do think this, I drive back up to the top of that favorite canyon in my thoughts and bring the mindset back I have worked on. 

This has not always been easy to allow and yet I have been able to train my mind and muscles to let the silence come. 

I go into quiet reflection and let my thoughts go down rabbit trails, as they will, when the quiet comes. 

To let the calm seep into my soul. 

It is also time to plan our next trip to this favorite canyon, step into the silence alone that is worthy to be heard and walk to the edge of the magic.

I was with a group of women recently when they told me some news as we were talking about many things one day.

There are times when I am sitting with others when I find myself scooting over to get more comfortable. Then it seems that I can pay attention and be aware of what is to come. 

That’s what it takes at times for me to lean in and listen with all my attention. 

The information I became a part of with this gathering caused me to pause, look around to check in with each person there and then this came out of my mouth. 

“I am so sorry. This is hard. It sounds like you are talking about someone you love.” 

“Can I take a moment and tremble with you?”

Shared love and compassion

As I was sitting with others in this space, there was a short pause, and the women here then began to talk about the person. There was a shared love, filled with compassion and joy, from them all. 

We paused and then we began to breathe together. 

I have thought about this moment since that time.

Have there been other times when it happened to me?  Yes!  

It was when I found myself sitting with others and talking about important things. 

How does this happen? 

Most often it has looked like this for me. 

I get to sit with others, listen to the words that are said and also the feelings that are not said. That is when I understand what is important.

Has this happened to you?

Sitting with others is worth it.

That may be why I have come to know that sitting with others is worth the time and energy, every time. 

I have been in spaces with others when someone has allowed part of their story to come through and when we both then sat together and trembled. 

It is powerful to have someone to sit with and hear your story. 

Here is what comes to mind for me next. 

What if two people sat with someone sitting with them and then listened to others around them?  Would that change the way others felt heard and seen while talking about the general things in life that then could lead to the important pieces that need to be said? 

I do believe this is how it can happen for more of us. We can keep it short, sweet and invite others to come be with us. 

Perhaps that is the magic that each of us could do as we are sitting with others. 

It is what I am going to continue doing. Come sit on a couch and we’ll find a space together. 

The two steps keep going for me. I feel like the dancing should have come to a resting space by now. 

Yet it keeps going.

How is that even possible? 

It is beyond my comprehension at times and yet taking two steps toward a space has been created over many years. 

At times it feels like I am going to the left and then to the right. 

And finally like I am going to dance into heaven. 

What does that feel like? 

Let me use a few words to describe this for you. 

Shall we begin? 

Take my hand and come with me as we dance through this. 

Let’s twirl and start again.

We’re ready, Mr. Music. 

Last summer I attended a concert with two others.

This concert came at a time when I had a raspy quiet voice. 

It was actually barely a whisper, at best. 

Not great for singing at the top of my lungs with a thousand others.

The concert began under an amazing sunset and then the stars came out.

A couple of songs got me tapping my toes as I sat on a blanket, and then one more had me standing up to dance. 

Heaven from the Psychedelic Furs was floating through the air.

Suddenly I was dancing into heaven.

Suddenly I was dancing into heaven. I was whispering the words out loud along with the band but singing as loud as I could in my head. 

The louder the music rumbled around me the more I found a rhythm.

Turns out I could still sing this song even though I was the only one to hear the words. It also turns out that this song brought on more thoughts about dancing into heaven. 

Let’s tap a toe into what those are, shall we? 

First, take a look at the lyrics.

Heaven

The Psychedelic Furs

Heaven is the whole of the heart

And heaven don’t tear you apart

Yeah heaven is the whole of the heart

And heaven don’t tear you apart

There’s too many kings want to hold you down

And a world at the window gone underground

There’s a hole in the sky where the sun don’t shine

And a clock on the wall and it counts my time

And heaven is the whole of the heart

And heaven won’t tear you apart

Yeah heaven is the whole of the heart

And heaven don’t tear you apart

There’s a song on the air with a love-you line

And a face in a glass and it looks like mine

And I’m standing on ice when I say that I don’t hear planes

And I scream at the fools, want to jump my train

And heaven is the whole of the heart

And heaven won’t tear you apart

Yeah heaven is the whole of the heart

And heaven don’t tear you apart

Yeah heaven

Ah heaven

Yeah heaven

Written by: MILES JAYE DAVIS

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

Do any standout to you? 

There are many that do for me. 

The ones that talk about clocks help me focus and did the night of this concert. 

I find myself thinking about time even now. 

Time can be something that is held close, feels like it is fleeting or is going to go on and on. 

I have felt all three of these.

 Dancing with time.

Dancing with time, seeking a balance or looking for a way to stretch time out before me. 

Now, I look at clocks yet not in the same manner as I have in the past. 

There are less meetings and appointments to rush to, so I savor time, let it wander around me and then take care of what is in front of me. 

I get curious with it and hold it tenderly in my hands. 

M’hm. 

What could come next. 

Do you see other lyrics in this song that make you wonder? 

Here are the ones that popped out next as I danced under the stars belting out the tune in my head. 

The face that I have seen in the glass has been changing over the years. 

One time I looked up and almost did not recognize myself. And then I realized it was when I found a true mirror that I started to recognize more of myself, bit by bit.

It was when I danced into heaven that I remembered.

It was when I danced into heaven that I remembered that when the music gets louder, the more I can feel my feet. 

This brings me back to who I am. Reminds me to look up and see what is important. 

How’s that for being in space? 

What do you think? Is this different from how it feels for you? 

What comes next? 

Dancing into heaven can also be what I find with this view. 

For me, mountains and clouds have brought me closer to a glimpse of heaven. 

This is where I feel my heart, where I am torn apart and then where I find my feet again. 

Do I dance with it? 

Yes. 

And then there is this.

I also glimpse time when a train comes into view. 

That is the bonus with this, my friends. 

Dancing into heaven brings all of this to me. 

I now get to pay attention to time, faces and places that bring me dancing into heaven. 

With gratitude and a space to pause here with you, my friends.

I first made one of these more than 20 years ago. 

The quilt was pieced together by small patches of fabric cut from pants that had been worn, and sometimes worn out, over the years. 

It came together piece by piece with the corners tightly joined, aligned and held with thread as if it was meant to be in place forever. 

What started out as stacks of fabric then became rows and finally columns before a final layout of a large denim quilt were before me. 

I could see the worn spots and the slight stain from grass here and there. 

Perfect additions to a large quilt that came together. 

Piece by piece. 

Laid out on the floor then sewn, edged, backed and quilted. 

The memory of making this piece quilt makes me smile as I look at it even now.

I wonder how I knew how to put it all in place, get the squares in order and then do it? 

Perhaps it was talking to those who had created before me? 

Did I talk with a family member or friend? 

Let’s think about that while we move along. 

Now there are directions on how to do this. It includes Your First quilt – beginning Tutorial, part 1. Step by step with video and audio instructions. Pretty cool help for each moment, right? 

Did you know? This could have been helpful the next time I worked on this type of quilt.

Here’s the rest of the story. 

One of the quilts I made, piece by piece.

You see here one of the next quilts I made. It came together piece by piece.

Same process with squares of fabric that was going to be less than half the size of the first one. 

A quick project. 

Lickety split. Let’s do this! 

I had all of the fabric laid out in the design I wanted. 

The corners were aligned. 

Pins were in place to keep the edges tidy. 

Rows? Check. 

Columns next? Check check? 

Yes! Let it begin.

 Remember that I have made one or two of these before. This was going to be quick. 

Then the sewing began. 

The first row of corners stayed in alignment. So did the next row. 

Whew! 

Okay. The rows were complete, and it was time to get onto the next. 

I do like it when it comes together piece by piece. 

Take a look at the pattern here.

Do you see the blend of colors and types of fabric in this quilt? 

The same squares of fabric were used in each row and then adjusted to give a slight alteration in the pattern. 

Perhaps it is different than you have seen before, or it may be similar to other piece quilts. 

Truthfully, it is how this quilt came into being. 

Here is what happened next. 

The fabric would adjust under the pressure foot.

As the columns were being aligned, the fabric would adjust under the pressure foot of the sewing machine. 

I would readjust the fabric and sew the squares again. 

C’mon little squares, you can do this.  

Remember that this is going to be the quick and easy project. 

On it went. 

Fabric was aligned, then it would wiggle under the pressure foot and I would look at it. 

Hmm…

What to do. 

The corners were sometimes crisp and tight and then there were others that were not matching even with pins holding them in place. 

Decision time. 

What would you do? 

I sat back for only a moment. 

This is life. This is how goes at times. 

Sometimes the corner is going to be in place, the fabric is going to stay in place and the pressure rolls right over that corner and voila! 

A neat and tidy outcome is seen. 

And then, there is what happened to part of this piece quilt.

Look closer.  

Do you see parts of the quilt that do not have tight matching corners? 

Perhaps you gasped or nodded your head in understanding. 

What happened here? 

What is there to do about it? 

Are you ready? 

Here is what I decided to do. 

I kept going, my friends. 

The fabric I used to create this small quilt was still loved. It came from clothing that I had worn and worn out. 

Corners were still going to be there even if they were not aligned. 

I knew what my intentions were. 

My focus and effort were the same even if the outcome looked different. 

It came together piece by piece as I adjusted my eyes.

It came together piece by piece even as I adjusted my eyes, and even my vision of what I was doing, to see that it did not need to be perfect for it to be complete. 

There have been times when life has taken me through this same process of learning. 

I then asked myself what am I going to do? 

The answers come to this each time. 

Know my intent, stay focused on the things that I love about what is before me and know when something is complete for this time and space. 

When have you found a piece of this in your life? 

How did you keep going or are you in that space now?  Perhaps we can do this together.

I would attend football games when I was in high school. I would climb the stairs in the bleachers and find that exact right spot where I could find friends, munch on a treat. Watch others in the crowd. 

Sure, watch the game. Occasionally. 

There would be a line of pom pom holding students transformed into yelling and jumping dynamos. 

These were the cheerleaders.

One of the cheers they would lead the crowd in went like this. 

Ready, okay!

Who’da, who’da, who’da

Who’dya think you are? 

Those of us in the stands would roar back: We’re the warriors W A double RR IOR S. 

Can you see a bunch of high school students yelling and jumping and thinking that this makes sense? 

It didn’t actually need to because teenagers, especially in a group, are often willing to go with it, clap their hands and bring on the hilarity. 

This cheer has stayed with me. It is now on my quote board in my office. 

Who’dya think you are? 

A warrior? Do you think that you are able to go with it? Clap with those around you or stand alone when needed? 

Look at this picture.

And then I look at this picture. 

It is the purest and best. To me, that is.

Perhaps you have seen a young adult who can send a dagger across the room as quick as lightning. 

Same as this! 

Who’dya think you are? 

Let me tell you what was going on here. 

This was a day that I was taking pictures from every angle. Constantly. 

Trying to capture the moment. 

The everyday stuff of a teenager and his dad. 

They were both sick and tired of being the models. 

Told to leave.

I had already been asked, then told to leave. 

Mother!

For all that is golden in this good world. 

Take the camera with you. 

Enough. 

I had been escorted out of the backyard, with no uncertain terms. 

And then, I looked back. 

I laugh out loud with this grand memory. 

This boy looked up at the very moment and sent this look from across the yard as my camera was being raised. 

He caught me as I was taking one more picture! 

People! 

The hilarity and seriousness of it is incredible. 

I will tell you that I left as quickly as I could. He was not joking with this look. 

Mother! You have to give us space.

Take your camera and meddlesome ways and be gone. 

I am laughing right now with the strength of a warrior he had. 

My husband just shook his head with an equally massive smile on his face. 

Here is the ticket to why this question stays on my quote board. 

Who do we think we are? 

Do you and I stand in place, clap our hands and go into a powerful stance when we know what it is we need? 

Like this young man who was saying so much without words? Or sign language or any of his communication systems? 

This is what I learned that day and so many times since. 

First, I need to let others know what I need, even when it means saying it a few times. 

That day I was escorted out of the space by someone who knew what he needed. That is also called self determination and he had it with bells and boldness. 

We can all determine what we want and then, go for it one day and one thing at a time. 

Next, I learned that I get to choose who to be around. 

What?  

Yes, and yes. 

This teenager did choose who to be around.

That day, this teenager did choose who he wanted to be around, for how long and then who was going to be there for the next part of his day. 

Can you see the power of that for 

Each

One

Of us? 

Some days I love crowds and other times I love to be on the top of a mountain with one person. 

What about you? 

That’s the best part for everyone. 

What if it changes during the same day? 

Well, that is alright, as well. 

Here is what I have learned as a final bit. It took me a minute to acknowledge, even while I knew it in my core.

You may know this already. If you do, perhaps help the person next to you with this piece. 

It can be doozy to learn for some.

I get to feel everything that comes. 

Do you see the intensity in his eyes? 

He felt deeply.

I love that he felt deeply. 

Here’s the kicker with this part.  

This young teenager was not always able to let us know what he was feeling with his words, his sign language, or any other communication that was there for him. 

He did know what respect was and what it meant when I walked away that day. No more pictures were taken. 

He was able to take a breath and enjoy one on one time with dad outside. 

The truth is that he had come from the way we were when he was younger, learning how to let others know what he wanted, to becoming his own self. 

What a wonderful place to be! 

That is what I know for now, my friends. 

May we learn to cheer each other on as we continue to clap to the beat and find out who we think we are.

Welcome to the month of love! 

February brings thoughts of adoration for many and yet how does one say I love you? 

How are you doing this? 

Let’s consider a few ways.

It could come with a bouquet of flowers along with a card that you choose. Words can be simple and heartfelt or show humor.

Some folks go out to dinner.

Others find time for a mid-winter trip to a warm tropical beach. 

And then, is there a way to let others know this way of saying I love you is set in stone? 

Let’s talk about that, shall we?

You could say that I have been thinking about this for some time. 

In fact, I stepped into this realm recently by going deeper into what it means to have something become set in stone. 

Come with me, if you’d like.

Here we go. 

I am relentless in love.

It could be that I am immovable and relentless in that love and that begins to make it set in stone.

Perhaps having something, like a type of love, may also be unshakeable or unrelenting. 

I have found this type of love a few times, and one time for more than twenty years. 

The first time I realized that feelings could go into a deep level for someone else was when I met someone out of the clear blue, then found that joy, common goals and immoveable love was fantastic. 

Bring on the flowers and adventure. We became relentless in our love and that was set in stone. 

This next piece brought an unshakeable and unrelenting love that I had no way of predicting was coming, and yet loved every minute of it. 

You may notice that there is a hand shown here. 

This next piece goes with this hand. 

Hand in hand, you could say. 

Sign language for love, set in stone.

This hand shows sign language for I love you. 

Set in stone. 

And this shows the next step into the realm that became unshakeable for me. 

It is one representation for a grand soul in our world.

Our son brought a love that is almost beyond measure.

Until I look back at what brought me to this point. 

I had become relentless before with that first deep level of love. Do you remember who I did this with?

Oh wait!  Did I tell you who that was?  

Can you guess? 

Yes!  My husband, also known as the best friend to our son!

Now back to what brought me to this point of love. 

LOVE. That’s it. Pure Love, folks.

When love is unshakeable, I can do things that are beyond my current level of ability. 

That became what I depended on for more than two decades with our son. 

Perhaps you have stepped into this level of love with someone in your life. 

Think about it as I continue. 

I stepped with a rhythm that was immoveable when our son needed support in school, at the doctor and why his constant changes were unknown to all of us. 

Let me tell you the truth, as I see it today.

Love became the piece and the way for me to come through all of that. 

Can you hear me? 

All of it. 

It is how I continued to find unshakeable and unrelenting love that then brought time to focus on what was truly needed. 

My friends. 

The words I love you were then truly set in stone. 

They became who my whole soul has become. 

Even now.  

Do you feel it in your heart as you look for ways to celebrate the ones you love? 

Stay with it. Let it become an immovable piece along with the moments of joy in your realm.

Have you seen one of these in your life? 

Or is it only me? 

I have had a granny hanky in my pocket for about a decade.

Ok, I’m actually not sure why I call it a granny hanky as neither of my grandmas used them but let’s stay with that for now. 

Thanks for being in this mode with me. 

Onward.

Where have I found them? 

A variety of these have been found in many places including antique shops, craft fairs and estate sales. 

They are marvelous at collecting sudden streams of leaky eyes that pop up when talking to family and friends. 

What is a granny hanky good for?

Here is another thing to know about what a granny hanky is good for, at least for me. 

I have a grand talent for weeping! 

Yes, I know. You are now going to work on this to be one of your life goals. 

Here is what I have found with this talent of mine. 

It has not always been something that I have enjoyed. 

There have been times when a commercial during a major sporting event will bring on the leaky eyes.

Suddenly, 30 seconds of a tender moment has me grabbing this small square of fabric while others in a room are smiling. 

Oh goodness. 

Awkward? 

Could be and yet I continue to dab my eyes and smile among the tears. 

How else can this look? 

Recently, I was watching a racing event. 

Two athletes were in the final stages of a cross country race when one thought he was done.

Here’s the deal. 

He was not quite to the finish line. 

His body sure thought it was over, so he had pulled up on his race pace and had almost gone into cool down. 

Do you know what happened next? The athlete coming up next tapped him on his shoulder and told him that the actual finish line was coming up. 

Visualize this. These two were suddenly working together so the first one could complete his race well. 

Humanity coming through again. 

What did I do? 

The granny hanky came out.

You know what I did. The granny hanky came out of the pocket as I cheered for them both!

Thank you for showing how to be kind and generous. 

Is it always easy to pull out my granny hanky? 

Nope. 

Indeed, I have spoken with others about how it can be better to avoid a situation than to have the tears come. 

Or how to hold in the emotion. 

Avoid the song, moment, activity. 

I can tell you this. 

There are times when I turn the radio station because the song that comes on next is going to bring a flood of memories and other times I sit with the flow and, again, sop up the leaky eyes with this amazing piece of cloth. 

How about you?

Here is what I do know, as of today. 

A friend came up to me at an event last week and asked if I was ready to cry. Prepare yourself, they said. 

I smiled and said I am always ready to cry and pulled out one of my granny hankies. 

She smiled and shared a wonderful and tender update about one of her family members. 

We grinned with full eyes. 

The hanky was at the ready.

My talent for weeping continues. I have now embraced this piece of myself as a way to show and share moments with others. 

What if we all used the things we can do to help one another, like the two athletes, and see what comes next. 

I’ll bring the granny hanky!