Posts from the ‘Love’ Category

Seven Words

Make the most of your time here.

The New York Times alert that lit my phone midday today stopped me in my tracks.  Amy Krouse Rosenthal, the writer who just ten days ago, broke so many of our hearts with her Modern Love story about her husband, had died.  While I had known her children’s books for years, I knew nothing about her until ten days ago, when her column made me suddenly want to learn everything about her.

A writer and a maker, Amy left a mark on this world.  She offered pragmatic wisdom galore in her kids’ books, adult books, and film projects.  And as I’ve sifted through it, one piece really stuck out.  It’s the conclusion of a TEDx talk she gave in 2010, where she asked the audience to think about what their seven-word message might be.  What was possible to convey in just seven words?  Everything, it turns out.

Amy’s seven words: Make the most of your time here.

These couldn’t be any more fitting.  This woman truly crammed LIFE into her days.  And among so many other things, she inspired me, a fellow writer, maker, and mother to take a few minutes to take stock of my own life.  Her short, ten-day stint in my life has made me want to hug my kids tighter, run a little longer, and soak up a little more sunshine.  I don’t have a seven-word message yet — maybe it’ll be something like  “Get outside and explore that beautiful world.”

But for today, my only seven words are Your words and soul live on, Amy.  RIP.

Bright Lights

“Every person on this earth has a bright light inside of them. Sometimes it shines easily to those of us on the outside, and other times it’s entirely hidden. It’s our job to look for the light when we meet people…to seek the brightness, and once we find it, nurture it and feed it and help it get brighter and brighter.”

A friend recently shared this perspective in a conversation about the principles that guide our lives. Her kids go to Quaker school (commonly known as the “friends schools”), and this is one of the school’s core teaching philosophies. In short, it’s the belief that education is about drawing things out of people, not just putting things into them. Read more

Guest Post: Making Art + Making Memories

A friend of mine recently posted a photo of an art project that caught my eye.  I love the piece, and more importantly, I love what it stands for.  I asked her if she’d be willing to share her story on Wellfesto, and she wrote the following guest post.  Thanks so much, Dalton McCurdy, for your beautiful story and reminder for all to keep our eye on what counts.

It’s so easy to get caught up in the day-to-day. We are encouraged to do it all. Down time is lost time. Productivity is calculated in actions and, as a result, attention and outputs are stretched thin. Read more

Five Organizations to Support on #GIVINGTUESDAY

Today is Giving Tuesday, a global day dedicated to giving back.  Following Black Friday and Cyber Monday, #GIVINGTUESDAY is a refreshing chance to take a break from everyday consumption and unite to celebrate generosity.  If you’re looking for an organization to contribute to today, here are five I believe in and feel great about supporting.  And there are so many more amazing organizations than aren’t on this list — which ones would you add? Read more

A Life Well Lived

Yesterday’s strong social media response to Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s death poignantly showed the contrast between the human resilience and strength and splendor he wrote about and the reminder of life’s fragility that accompanies the end of life.  Stories abounded of a life well lived — a full life rich with understanding about the human condition. Read more