I am not someone that is wishing 2012 goodbye and good riddance. Nope. I am someone that found myself in 2012. I have never been more comfortable in my own skin and more comfortable and happy with who I am and who I get to be in this life. And I don’t think I have said the word grateful or gratitude more in my life. I don’t think that is any mistake. I know that what we put out in the universe comes back to us 100-fold. I have experienced it over and over again. Not just with money, though I do mean that, but especially with compassion and caring and most of all love. The more I give of all these things, the more it comes rushing back to me like a tsunami. It can be overwhelming and I often will get an email or a note or a message that literally makes me stop and weep. I don’t say that to be dramatic, ‘weep’, but it is a word that fits. I was painting this past week and took a break to take out the dogs and checked the email on my phone while I was outside. I got this:
Greetings Michelle,
I just wanted to take a moment to thank you for your book and the stuffed animal that I purchased for my son at the Wade King Elementary PTA book sale in Bellingham, WA.
My son is 12 years old and is nonverbal due to autism and apraxia. He communicates only through adult-led questioning and behavior and has many issues that have become obstacles to learning. Namely, he has a difficult
time with fine motor coordination, he has pica (i.e., the eating of nonfood items), and he tends to mouth items instead of using them for their intended purpose. Because of this, we often have a very difficult time shopping for him at Christmastime; however, he does like to listen to books being read to him and he appreciates stuffed animals.
He was thrilled to receive his Whatif Monster on Christmas and listened in rapt attention as I read him your book. Here is what I wrote in the inner sleeve:
To (Son’s Name),
Merry Christmas! I already know that you can overcome any obstacle. What if you recognized that, too? I love you more than I could possibly show you. No GO AHEAD!… Show me what you can do!
Love, Mom
He has already chewed his Whatif Monster’s arms until they are nearly unrecognizable (a sign of affection). Please accept my sincere gratitude for your wonderful contribution to his literacy development.
Warmly,
(Amazing Mom’s Name)
See? WEEP. Outside in the sun with the dogs, just…weeping. With so much gratitude that THIS gets to be MY life. I am no one special, well not any more special that the rest of us. I am just someone that loves people, adores children in particular, and wants to share what it is that is inside of me with the world. I had the audacity to think that the world would want to share with me. And color me surprised, they did.
And this is what I wish for all of you this 2013. Stop being scared that what you have to offer may not be good enough, or special enough or interesting enough. I promise you, if YOU are passionate about it, excited about it, love it that much? The rest of us WILL want to be a part of it and raise you up and help you get there. That is simply how it all works. Really.
This life is not about having a year with no sorrow, no tragedies, no tears of sadness. It is about having all those ALONG with the joy, the happiness, the laughter and the MAGIC. We simply do not get one without the other. But, when you share your joy and passion and magic with the world? When those inevitable hard times come? And they WILL come, we will hold you up during those times too. We all have each other’s backs. Well, I know I got YOUR back anyway. So go make some magic of your own.
And I literally just got this in an email about 10 minutes ago from a super sweet and amazing lady and I still have goosebumps that someone read it and thought of me.
Catherine of Siena wrote, “If you are what you should be, you will set the whole world on fire.”
And when I read it, every cell in my body, simply said, “Yes.”
Go set the world on fire in 2013, y’all. We’ll all help you do it.
My love to all of you.
The Magical World of Miss Michelle! 