So this Tuesday’s Tip thing is often less an eco-tip and more a life tip. Every now and then you have one of those weeks that catches your breath, presses pause on all your pursuits and strivings, and reminds you to sit down, shut up and pay attention. Don’t worry, God willing next week I’ll be back to ranting about recycling and random junk. But it turns out this walking around, breathing, eating, talking, living thing is all a wee bit more fragile that we ever imagined. And as days and years race past it seems like life presents itself with an increasing number of opportunities to feel the weight of it all. Or, as my Dad likes to say, “Honey, it’s hell to get old.”
So, in Tuesday Tip fashion, here are a few tales from the week so far. Never underestimate the lessons you can learn in 48 hours:
1. Caffeine cannot conquer every fear but coffee really helps push on through.
2. Sometimes a rainy day suits the mood well.
3. Kids do indeed say the darndest things, but sometimes the most profound and holy things too.
4. Never underestimate the power of neighborhood/school moms to get a job done. Never underestimate this. Never, ever. As my friend Laura C. once said “Moms make the world go round.” Found out this week that they really do!
5. Pounding leftover Fannie Mae chocolate bunnies does take the edge off for a moment.
6. Love your friends purely, passionately and deeply. Be there for them.
7. Hug your kids every day, tight. Make them be the ones to let go first.
8. Pray like crazy, and never underestimate hope.
Re-reading this I fear this post sounds like a bad Chicken Soup for the Soul Book. Yikes. But all the cliches about loving and hope and prayers and all that mushy stuff come from someplace. I have found that place and it is filled with poorly written pithy statements like these, but I dare you to disagree with a single one. Thanks for reading along once again this week. And while you are at it, even though we don’t all know one another, throw up a prayer for a great Dad, hockey Dad, baseball coach, Northwester grad, Cubs fan, better get better cuz the Hawks play tonight guy named Joel. He needs a little love this week.
Peace to all.