Greetings Shiners! Cheryl here on another glorious Friday. Let me tell you a little story that developed a piece of artwork.
In May, MSN.com did a very mean thing to me. They ran a slideshow of all these newborn babies in the sweetest, sleeping poses you have ever seen. You know the ones. All those brand new babies. Looking so peaceful in their sleep. (I don't know how long
this link will last but today it takes you to my favorite of the 24 baby images.)
But, do NOT open that link if you don't want your uterus to expand with excitement, your heart to drop and hear your own voice exclaim out loud, "I want a baby" because that's exactly what happened to me! And for the next ten seconds I wondered how in the world a single mom like me was going to get one!
Luckily, I didn't have to suffer long because a very wise landscaper who's wife was expecting a new baby walked into my office at the very moment I said those words and he saved me. The Wise One said, "You don't want a baby. You just want to hold a baby."
[insert sigh of relief here]
My uterus happily shriveled back up, my heart hopped back into place and I counted the number of people I knew having babies. How right he was. And a new sense of excitement began to brew.
Wise One's baby was born first and as soon as possible, he had his wife bring Josie up to the office for me to hold. Okay, not just me. I was like a drug addict - getting a little baby fix. Though to my credit I will mention that I shared with others.
Then came Cate.
I met Cate's parents, Megan and Shawn through Keith in February. Megan and I share a love for Dolly Pardon and Kenny Rogers. Come on! Friends for life. The more time I spent with them, the more I liked them. And so began the daydreaming about holding Cate and about what I would tell her. Along with this daydreaming about holding a newborn baby, a new idea for a piece of artwork was born.
So, what if I told you to:
wish on stars. be brave. stand up for yourself. be strong. stand up for the small and the weak. imagine the possibilities. be kind. always have an open mind. dance. have a firm handshake. use your imagination. be hopeful. stand up straight. stay positive. be responsible for your own happiness. believe in magic. respect yourself. respect others. pay attention. be a part of something extraordinary. be courageous. brush your teeth. floss them, too.
never stop learning. volunteer. learn to cook. sing out loud. be happy. love with your whole heart. dream big. always try your best. encourage others. exercise. eat healthy. beauty comes from within. be radiant. do what you love. be honest. have fun. be confident. be responsible for your mistakes. dare to be different. say please and thank you. remain calm. smile. apologize when you are wrong.
speak kindly. learn to laugh at yourself. practice random acts of kindness. be thankful. live each day to the fullest. reach for the stars. forgive others. forgive yourself. keep your promises. listen hard. appreciate the small things. set goals. be diligent. work hard. make smart decisions. learn a second language. celebrate life. color outside the lines. give hugs freely. reserve the kisses for someone special. call your parents.
Would you?
What if I told you:
I believe in you.
I will always love you.
Would you believe me?
What if I printed the words out and collaged them into a painting and gave it to you when you were born and the painting hung on your wall as a reminder? Would you try?
I hope Cate will try. I hope she will always feel the love of her parents, friends and family. I hope that her life will be brighter and stronger and happier and this little 6" x 6" painting will remind her to believe in herself. And all that other stuff. I hope you will try now, too.
I hear Claudia saying, "Speak it into existence."
These are the things that as parents we wish for our children, right?
Join me in today's forum and tell me what morsels of advice I missed.
Before I leave you I just have to say, holding a new baby is just about the best feeling in the whole world and Cate is adorable. That's her at the top of this post. Tell me you didn't just say, "I want a baby!"
Shining off until tomorrow...