It’s okay to be different. To be unique. To be your own person. No need to follow a trend. No need to achieve greatness, but YES to doing your absolute best at whatever you’re doing. Kindness and sincerity are what attract me to my friends. Listening is my content. It wakes me up when I meet someone who is “that”. We’re in it together. Paying attention. Me to them. Them to me.
My mom Annabelle, who is now 82 years old, was an only child who lost both of her parents at a fairly young age. She showed me what it takes to be tough, smart, kind, and to never give up. However, the biggest thing she probably taught me is that your vibe attracts your tribe.
Have you ever heard the story of The Three Bricklayers? I hadn’t—until recently:
A man came upon a construction site where three people were working. He asked the first, “What are you doing?” and the man replied: “I am laying bricks.” He asked the second, “What are you doing?” and the man replied: “I am building a wall.” As he approached the third, he heard him humming a tune as he worked, and asked, “What are you doing?” The man stood and smiled and replied with a gleam in his eye, “I am building a cathedral.”
I’ve been working on a Poetry In Motion series of animated excerpts from my book Sage Words, and a couple of weeks ago I showed one to a friend. They were thrown off-guard and asked surprisingly why didn’t I do this sooner?