Words are really inadequate to express how grateful I am for all the loving, thoughtful, insightful comments so many of you made on my last post, but since words are all I got, here goes: I thank you sincerely from the bottom of my heart. Every single one of your comments touched me and moved me to tears. I read them over and over and even printed them out so I could take them out and read them on some future terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. 
One thing that struck me as I read them was how so many of you, in commenting on my post about risking my heart, had risked your own in commenting with such honesty and candor. I am grateful for that and for all the wisdom, love, and compassion shown me in your comments. And I was humbled by your kind and generous words about my writing. It’s funny—most times my first reaction when someone says something really nice about me is to think I don’t deserve that! But I’m trying to learn to accept compliments gracefully. After all, that’s a part of learning to open your heart, too, I think—to let the light pour in.
And I want to thank my children, too, for their comments and for being who they are. I have learned so much from them about having a bold spirit and a courageous heart. They both have such a strong sense of who they are and where they are going—I think I want to be like them when I grow up.
In my friend Judy’s comment, she mentioned my post on finding a heart in the grass. I thought those of you that read that post earlier might be happy to know that the heart’s still growing there in our big, imperfect, mongrel-grass yard. Here is the original picture:
And here is one I took yesterday:
As you can see, there’s a little breach in the heart now, but it’s still largely intact. The other day, when I saw the breach in the heart, I thought, “Aww, now it’s a broken heart.” But at least that heart’s still growing. And now, I think I’d say that little crack is not a break, but an opening. Because, as my friend Wesley said in her comment, quoting from the words of Leonard Cohen: There is a crack in everything / That’s how the light gets in.
Indeed.
October 20, 2008 at 8:35 pm |
Hi Beth, I rushed right over to see what you had posted and lucky me I got to see the heart again. It doesn’t matter that it has a break in it. I am just so glad it is still there for the world to see and that you found it. You are so welcome but you don’t have to thank us, we only spoke from our hearts, too. As usual, the picture is lovely and I am so glad you consider me your friend because I certainly think of you that way! I think we are all just one great big circle of blogging friends.
October 20, 2008 at 8:39 pm |
Me too, Beth. I am still praying that you will find a church that you love. The fellowship would be so good for you.
October 20, 2008 at 9:04 pm |
Yay, Beth! It’s all in how you look at things.
October 20, 2008 at 11:45 pm |
It is good to have friends, isn’t it?
Even the kind you never meet in person.
You are a good writer with loving words and an obviously kind heart. Don’t let anybody ever trounce it into the dirt!
October 21, 2008 at 2:28 am |
You’re entirely welcome. And thank you for the compliment. But I want to be like YOU when I grow up, so I’m not sure how that will work.
I love your new insight on the grass heart. I think that’s a lovely way to see it.
And that morning glory picture is absolutely magnificent.
October 21, 2008 at 3:26 am |
You’re welcome, but isn’t that what friends are for?
I love the way you’ve captured the luminescent quality of the light in your photograph. I also enjoyed the reference to Judith Viorst’s book. I used to read that to my niece when she was a wee one!
October 21, 2008 at 11:35 am |
Thank you! For your generous heart and beautiful words…always.
October 22, 2008 at 3:21 am |
What a beautiful flower picture! And the heart reminds me of what a friend told me about having a second child. I was worried that I might not love No.2 as much as I loved No. 1 and Mary said “Oh, no, don’t worry, your heart just stretches and scoops the new baby right in!”