Discovering Hearts as Vast as the Sky

Dear Reader:

Normally today “bestie” girlfriends would be celebrating Galentine’s Day...which always falls on February 13…the day before the traditional Valentines Day. And I am sure some friends will find a way to celebrate together…whether it is “live” or virtual because of Covid19.

This fun holiday was created from the hilarious sitcom…Parks and Recreation starring actress Amy Phoehler. Her character (Leslie Knope) decided one Valentines holiday that there should be a “female” girlfriends’ celebration, similar to Valentines, but just for all those gal pals who bring so much support and joy into our life.

Unlike some other celebrations that have sprung up like “Treat Yo Self”on Valentines for singles or negative anti-male parties, Galentine’s Day is simply declaring love and affection to the gals who make up our support system.

As my mind traveled over all the wonderful gals in my life who fit this description…I realized how very very lucky I have been to have this kind of foundation system in my life. Not only do I have this wonderful network of friends…but they all have one thing in common….generosity beyond the vastness of the skies.

This phrase was found in Spotlight on Kindness under the editorial introduction and I loved it…because it sheds light on how important all these friendships are to me.

Have you ever been surprised by another person’s generosity? When someone you know does something so unexpected that their actions leave you almost stunned. They push the boundaries of giving and go from the usual give and take to a whole another level of kindness. These don’t always have to be larger-than-life actions or involve many resources, but you can clearly see that they were able to dig deep into their hearts for someone else. These are the beautiful souls that carry a heart as vast as the sky.

If I started listing names right now I would, inadvertently, leave someone off so I am not going to try…but I hope and pray all of you know who you are and what you have meant to me in my life. There is no doubt each of you were destined to be in it…handpicked by God to embark and accompany me in my life at different crossroads and times.

One of the examples of spotlights on kindness this past week made the news … it was one of those sincerest gestures that just make one’s heart flutter with the kindness observed.

Just call them snow angels…

A Rhode Island fifth-grader and a family friend swept snow off dozens of hospital workers’ cars during Monday’s North’easterner to thank them for all their hard work during the pandemic.

Christian Stone, 10, and Abbey Meeker went to Westerly Hospital at around shift change, when doctors, nurses and other staff members were walking to the parking lot.

“We kind of made it a game,” Meeker reported.

As they would spot a medical worker starting to walk to their car…they would take off and clean it off so that person didn’t have to….they shoveled snow from 80 different cars ending this one medical shift.

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I spent yesterday filling Valentine pails with fun “stuff” for the grandchildren after getting their Valentine cards in the mail earlier this week.

Monday I am going over to keep Rutledge while Walsh and Mollie get their taxes done…so I can drop off the pails then to my little Mt. Pleasant Valentines!

So until tomorrow….Enjoy every day…with a full heart!

“Today is my favorite day” Winnie the Pooh

About Becky Dingle

I was born a Tarheel but ended up a Sandlapper. My grandparents were cotton farmers in Laurens, South Carolina and it was in my grandmother’s house that my love of storytelling began beside an old Franklin stove. When I graduated from Laurens High School, I attended Erskine College (Due West of what?) and would later get my Masters Degree in Education/Social Studies from Charleston Southern. I am presently an adjunct professor/clinical supervisor at CSU and have also taught at the College of Charleston. For 28 years I taught Social Studies through storytelling. My philosophy matched Rudyard Kipling’s quote: “If history were taught in the form of stories, it would never be forgotten.” Today I still spread this message through workshops and presentations throughout the state. The secret of success in teaching social studies is always in the story. I want to keep learning and being surprised by life…it is the greatest teacher. Like Kermit said, “When you’re green you grow, when you’re ripe you rot.”

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