the very beginning.

The heart behind the words—

I wrote these words in the middle of a year that challenged us all.  Almost everything was rearranged. Most of what had been comfortable and familiar for so long felt far. There we were left to sort our way through days that were long and strange and still sweet somehow. The quieter the days became, the more I pulled back to cards. Something that has always mattered somehow mattered a little more. When I couldn’t go share a meal with someone, I could send a card. When I couldn’t travel to see someone that I missed, I could write a card. And so, I did. My heart was reminded all over again why I believe in cards. Our words comfort and heal. Our words bring hope. Our words leave others less alone. Our words remind our closest few that there is someone who loves them deeply and believes in them greatly. Our words become the bright spot. They lift and the lighten. 

On the other side of a couple of very different years, here is what I know for sure— life is both beautiful and hard. Not just this year or last year, but every year. There is no perfection to be found on this broken ground. Not one of us arrives. Not one of us figures it all out. We are beautiful and bent and somehow making all the way home. All of us. But, we get each other. We get to love and listen and help and care. We get to sit with people. We get to lift people up and lead them on. We get to stay when things get hard. We get to celebrate every bit of beauty that is already here. We get share the joy that continues to come. It doesn’t fix it all— but it helps. And this is plenty. Good people coming close and choosing to stay that we might share our days— this is plenty. 

I’m just more and more certain that we are here to love each other well while we have the chance. Might these cards be one of many ways that we leave each other loved along the way.