Wedding Woes - I attended a wedding recently, as we were waiting for the wedding to begin, each of the guests was handed a glass of red wine. Sadly, one of my friends spilled the wine on her dress and was very distressed. My other friend, pictured in pick in the attached picture, moved fast and taking the woman by the hand, took her too the bathroom and helped her remove the wine from her dress. They returned in time to join the wedding, dress restored, all involved were relieved I appreciate the generous service and fast thinking of my friend."

True Bravery - I watched Audrey, my granddaughter, recite a script today at school. She was acting as an art docent, and each child represented a famous artist, explaining not only their artistic style but a little about their history. She's been practicing this speech for weeks. I've witnessed it at least a dozen times. But today, in the classroom, with twenty sets of parents (grandparents and great-grandparents) in the audience, I could see she was nervous. But she did it anyway, with every recitation, her voice grew stronger, along with her confidence.

It's interesting how fear shoves its way to the forefront of our minds, threatening judgment and humiliation should we stumble over a word or, God forbid, forget our lines. But what I noticed is most people are much kinder than we expect, tolerant of our foibles, and generous with their encouragement.

Mowing the Lawn - A family member lost her husband suddenly one night years ago, but by early morning of that painful day, I was on her couch, holding her hand, sitting silently in the presence of her grief. I was lost. I didn't know what to do, what to say, or how to help. Within a short period, my husband walked in the back door. He too, did not know what to do, say, or how to help. So he got up and mowed her front lawn. Just this week, we talked about that fateful day, and with fresh tears in her eyes, she told me how my husband's sweet gesture of mowing the lawn was deeply appreciated. At that moment, her heart felt his heart, and that is my KindLoook.

Mama, My Coat's Too Big - Rising early on the fourth day of a New Year seems prudent and wise but also a little desperate. I am eager to start a new chapter, to begin again, to write a different story for this stagnant old soul, not with movement, but in the way of growth.

I remember when my sister Nancy and I were kids, my mom would buy us a new coat every other year, so when it was your turn, you knew the coat would be too big until June or July - so it would last. A new year, in this case, felt stiff and ill-fitted even though I tried to wear my oversized finery with pride. It would take a long time before the coat was a good fit, but inevitably, at the end of two years, I had outgrown that garment, and I was ready to slip into something with room to grow. Wasn't my mama brilliant?

I read somewhere that our lives are shaped not only by what we choose to let go but also by what we choose to begin, and it doesn't matter how precarious it sounds to anyone else. When I'm standing on the threshold of a new year, slipping into something that is not a good fit - yet, I get to pick and choose the opportunities that I think will not only challenge me but allow me to grow.

And with all that, may our beautiful sun rise to meet us each day, and while I'm trying to capture it all with my iPhone, I'll be whispering to myself, "Thank you, Mama, for the oversized coat because now I know what hope looks like.”