I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who doesn’t love my mom. In high school, when my friends were late, I learned to go check the kitchen first. I would often wander downstairs only to find my tardy friend seated on a kitchen stool, chatting away with my mother. The dining room stayed semi-permanently decorated for a party, as she would throw impromptu celebrations for our family, for our friends, for anyone who needed cheering up or was in need of a surrogate family. I didn’t even carry a house key with me, because the door was only locked when the last person went to bed.
It’s an amazing legacy of love and compassion. For everyone. She isn’t selective. And it’s one of the most beautiful things about her.
She is one of the most loved people I know. There are literally hundreds of people who have been lucky enough to cross her path, and all have come away better for it. Here is one of the biggest lessons I have learned from her. If you give love to others, you will never want for the things you need. Because you have created a web of interconnectedness, of people who care about you. Because you have become a shining light, so brightly lit front the inside that you draw others to you just by being you.
“People who shine from within don’t need a spotlight”
Nothing external can hope to complete with the power and the captivating allure of someone who is truly beautiful from the inside out. So here is my challenge to you. Be brave enough to own up to your own inner beauty and let it shine out, uninhibited by self doubt.
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About the Real Valentines Series:
In theory, a day all about love and sharing love sounds great. I know that many of you love to celebrate love. And so do I. But….. In practice, it often doesn’t quite feel authentic to me.
Be The Change
I want a holiday revamp. To take back Valentine’s Day from the merchants selling random last minute smatterings of chocolates/red roses/miniature bears holding hearts. I want to make it inclusive and not the sole domain of romantic love. More…