Every one of us lives life in community with others. Every choice, every decision we make as individuals ripples outward to others. There is no action without consequence, no thought without impact.
Something as simple as a smile can change the day for someone, who will then go on to impact other people differently because of your kind regard. In the same way, rudeness can so easily start a chain reaction.
This is why we must be intentional in all we do, understanding that we are not self-contained — rather, we are simply and magically part of something so much bigger than ourselves.
Many somethings, actually — a couple, a family, a friend group, a team, a class, a dog group, a church group, community, state, nation and so on. We are part of everything around us, creating and influencing it with our words, our actions, and even our thoughts.
I consider all that a bit of a mandate to be a decent person, care about others, try to make the world a just and equitable place, do the right things, and so on and so forth. The mantle of personhood is heavy!
And that is how I wound up with this darn painting…
Not a small painting, mind you!
It went like this.
NPR Pledge Week was happening. I called in to pledge. The person on the phone ran through the thank you gifts and one of them was a donated painting called Super Nova.
OMG, I said to myself, I will get that for Nova Sr.!! Mind you, I have never actually met Nova Sr., a wonderful young person in Minnesota, but she plans to move to Montana and live with me as soon as her parents spring her — I think she will love how the guest bathroom is coming along!
Thanks so much to Lori for the latest addition to the bathroom — a fun reminder to wash your hooves!!!
Anyway, back to the painting…
I drove up a canyon north of Missoula to retrieve said painting from the person donating it. I knocked on the door, and identified my purpose. She went and got the painting.
“Oh Dear,” I said to myself as I walked it back to the van. “Is that bird poop?!”
Then I felt guilty (see previous posts about Catholic schools) because someone lovingly painted that, and I was thinking mean thoughts. I wondered if maybe my lack of appreciation stemmed from my ignorance about art. Maybe it is actually amazing. [Please note the complicated thoughts and emotions from my attempt to do a good deed.]
I showed the painting to Suzanne who said — after a moment of silence as she regarded the masterpiece — “Well, maybe you can use the frame?”
She is such a cheerful optimistic, that Suzanne!
Our best intentions do not always go as planned but the important part is that we try. I may not have scored the perfect painting for Nova Sr.’s bedroom but she gets to start this day knowing that she matters to someone in Montana, and you — more people she has not met — are also invited to acknowledge and support her.
Nova Sr. competed in a special virtual Trick Dog competition for Juniors…
That went well!
You will not want to miss Team Hattie’s Trick Dog Video WELL DONE, Team Hattie! SO clever and fun.
Fun Fact: Hattie is a cousin to the Bright Stars, making all the dogs and associated humans related to each other. Given that I am practically her aunt, I think Nova Sr. might be moving to Montana even sooner!
Nova Sr. is not the only girl we are invited to support today — Ada and Wildflower Zeus have only two more days to sell Girl Scout Cookies.
I am ordering more boxes (they can be mailed — who knew?!) — my way of telling Ada, “YOU GO, GIRL!”
If you want to join me in mattering to a girl you have not met, here is the link to Ada’s virtual cookie store: Girl Scout Cookies
Thank you to the parents/family of those two special girls for raising such a wonderful next generation, and for letting us be part of the fun.
#girlpower
Now, what do I do with that darn painting?!