Our lives are a collection of stories – truths about who we are, what we believe, what we come from, how we struggle, and how we are strong. When we can let go of what people think, and own our story, we gain access to our worthiness – the feeling that we are enough just as we are, and that we are worthy of love and belonging. ~Dr. Brené Brown
I love this image of a moment in my story captured visually. ♥
So many of the details in this image have changed. But the love and vitality of this moment remains … and became even more sacred.
I was pregnant with {hope and} my youngest son {and dealing with all-day “morning sickness”}, and wearing a red maternity dress that I still consider an all-time favorite item of clothing for me. It was a warm, bright and sunny May evening, and My Rocket Man and I were standing near my parent’s former home; we were preparing to leave for a date night {a rare event for us, but always “enough” to saturate us with sparkly, pure joy and romance}.
We had arranged for my parents to entertain our young children {then, ages 9 and 3} and I can still vividly remember the euphoria of time alone with my man during our early days as a couple! My husband was a widower, and father of two when we married — I had sorta thought I would never have children of my own, before I met him. 
But that night — that time in my life — I was completely assured and totally confident I had found my place in this world.
My mind is wandering this week.
I had sorta thought I would be more focused and be working on a project, a project I assigned a deadline to — of this coming Friday. 
But I am flexible. Something wonderful is going on … in my current place in this world.
And I will remain free of Shoulds.
I will allow myself to remember the moments of my life — and work … as time and energy and concentration allows.
All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.
From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king.
~J. R. R. Tolkien
Braveheart, what are some of your stories? What is a favorite memory in your collection? ♥
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
i love this glimpse of you, and your story.
my stories are so intricate and multi-layered that they seem like an ocean in which i swim, a massive labyrinth that dips in and out of light. i will have to think of a favorite. <3
Braveheart, you are light. And your light reveals the rippled strength you {chose and} developed while in the midst of those layers. You are never alone; {knowns and yet-to-knows of} our tribe swam the dark, vast oceans in our stories … those places where the shoreline was unseen.
And we are brought together because of our the magnets of our compassions for one another … to embrace, and to share our stories. We are brought together to be reminded that there is hope. {And to flex our “muscles” and giggle and fling glitter!
…} ♥
Thank you for sharing that lovely memory. <3
One of my favorites is the day my DH came home from work to find all 6 of our kiddos massaging some part of my body (2 for feet, 2 for hands, 1 for head, and 1 for shoulders) – they volunteered/actually vying for position. I'd been studying for college and was majorly stressed out. I think that was the day he decided he wanted to trade places with me.
(You know me…all about the love stuff and physical touch.)
Julie Lynn: What a great memory … of a great family moment. ♥
I love how you disected that hopefilled memory. I think I tend to be drawn to the tragic ones, but I always view them in the glow of hope. Will have to think of something to come back and share…
I’m numbering this comment, Mandy Thompson style.
1. holy cow. how can you have 17 blog posts since the last time I opened my RSS reader? so prolific that Star is.
2. love that you’ve taken to calling us all Bravehearts.
3. Why am I still awake when it’s after midnight?
4. Love that your flexible with your deadline because this week I’ve been rearranging and discarding and imaginating some of my own deadlines, and i like that we can do that free of shoulds.
5. I like the memory of a chocolate cupcake shared with an on-line friend in person for the first time.
Rebekah: I love the way you view life. Your sense of resiliency is something I carry close … especially on rainy, cloudy days. Your faithful and poetic way of weaving words inspires me. ♥
Mandy: I like the list-inspirations of Mandy Thompson, too.
And, wow! I love your list-comment! “rearranging and discarding and imaginating some of my own deadlines” … hmm, that sounds like a blog post title! {And I believe that cupcake had some magic pixie dust in it!}