Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Thank You (Yes, You): A Love Letter

70/365

There are words that have been on my heart.  That I have been wanting to share with you.  Words that I don't quite know how to frame, so I will just dive in and let the breathe and be and be what they will.

Thank you.  Thank you (yes, you). 

Thank you for your love, for your caring.  For coming to this space and reading my story and letting it mingle in with yours.  We are painting a masterpiece with our lives, you and I and all of us.

Thank you for not turning away when things get uncomfortable or ugly or awkward or strange.

Thank you for letting me be me. 

Thank you for celebrating with me, and for mourning with me.  Thank you for recognizing how the two can coexist in the same moment.

Thank you for reaching out with words or a little token or the unspeakably profound gift of your listening heart when I have desperately needed to be reminded that there is goodness and hope in this world, enough to overcome the darkness. 

Thank you for entertaining my dreams, and my doubts.

Thank you for your grace, for letting me be flawed and ugly and wholly sinful at times.  Thank you for showing me the love of God. 

Thank you for not shying away from the hard questions and hard truths.

Thank you for asking, "How are you?" -- and meaning it.

Thank you for encouraging me as I draw and paint and fumble at the canvas, for helping me to press on at my art table when fear or perfectionism gather in.

Thank you for giving my art a home, for supporting my heart and my family in this sacred way.

Thank you for loving me, friends, even though I am awkward and emotionally gangly and always feel a little tongue-tied.   Thank you for coffee dates and laughter and walks and truth-telling.

Thank you for community formed in this unlikely online space.  Thank you for Facebook and Skype and Instagram and Twitter turned into holy places of God's healing.  

Thank you for sharing your story with me, and with others.  It is powerful and healing.  Don't ever stop telling it.

Thank you for still asking, one and a half years later this month, about Eve, about what it's like to have one child here and one not.  Thank you for not letting fear or discomfort stop you from saying her name, as I too often do.

Thank you for giving me space to speak, and space to be silent. 

Thank you for the many things I am forgetting to thank you for.  Thank you and thank you and thank you.

You are a gift.

10 comments:

  1. Thank YOU for answering all my stupid questions because as a mama who hasn't experienced a loss, I still want to be supportive of those who have. Thank you for being the wonderful, amazing, loving person you are. Thank you for caring, too.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Love this post Beth. And for the record, when you write, you come across as the least awkward and emotionally gangly person I can imagine. Your words speak so much truth, and I know that they help so many people <3

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thank you for being here!! <3

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thank you for being beautiful and brave and letting us in on it. :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thank you for being honest and raw and transparent. Thank you for being authentic. Thank you for being vulnerable. Thank you for sharing your gift of writing and art with us. Thank you for your courage that inspires me so much.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thank you for writing. ALways. Because your words- and artwork- continue to open an otherwise closed door in my heart so that I too can walk through my season of grief with some faith and hope. and hence- some dignity that was once stripped away. here's where a mausoleum becomes a meadow. being listened to, believed, understood and loved- even when I feel like a heap.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hi I'm Heather! Please email me when you get a chance, I have a question about your blog! LifesABanquet1(at)gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  8. You have a gift for writing from the heart that people can't help but respond to. Lovely blog. :) Keep on being true to you - kudos to your bravery - having the courage to speak and be you regardless of the things you mentioned in your post. Smiles!!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Just popped over from Simple Stories...I'm so looking forward to reading more of your blog. I'm especially excited to find out more about your e-course for Christian Creatives...sounds like something right up my alley! :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Here from Simple Stories to receive my 'thank you' LOL....this is precious and sweet and I feel the same so back atcha. Bless you Sister.

    ReplyDelete

"I am glad you are here with me."
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King