Dear Reader:

Yesterday was a dot to dot day… where similar thoughts from different programs blended into the same message. We are all connected… We are all connected… We are all connected.

It started with a HGTV show about a couple who renovate mountain cabins and houses for customers- believe the mountain home was in Colorado but not absolutely sure. The setting is immaterial-as usual it is the story behind the story that matters.

This wonderful family-a father with three grown children-had decided to re-do the family “sanctuary” that once meant so much to everyone growing up-filled with warm memories until the loss of their grandmother, who first bought it, followed sadly by her daughter ( the wife and mother) of the family deciding to make some monumental changes with the home.

It had taken them four years to gather the courage to return and trust strangers to make the improvements needed to sustain it while retaining the sacred memories of the past.

After the family left … the renovator couple understood only too well what a challenge had been left with them … since the construction / renovator’s wife had recently lost her mother also. But then she said something very insightful: ” What brings us so much sorrow stems from what once brought us so much joy!”

Isn’t that true? The people in our lives who bring us the most joy are the very ones who are missed the most.

As you can imagine ( It IS HGTV) the end result was ” crazy good”… the perfect blend of old and new-past and present. The only time the family broke down, touring it, was when the family was asked to look closely at the new rock fireplace. Several rocks were in the shapes of hearts.

*** The daughter had mentioned that her mother loved rock hunting and squealed with delight if she found one in the shape of a heart. Some stones had become paper weights on desks and side tables… now forever a part of a fireplace that brought back light and warmth and memories.

Three hours passed… I ran some errands, did some menial chores and turned the television back on while I ate lunch-it was Faith Friday and this week’s speaker was Devon Franklin ( creator of ‘It Takes A Woman.’ )

Suddenly I sat up as I heard him say ” We are all connected-we all go through unexpected things in our lives. Just remember… tragedy sets you up for triumph and out of pain comes purpose… you can decide that your painful experience will be purposeful. But only you can decide it.. we can’t determine the cards life deals us but we can play our hand fairly and be a role model for the young eyes watching us.”

So until tomorrow… Let’s start surprising ourselves by discovering when to fold and when to hold in life… this can only be done if we are willing to open ourselves to new experiences.

Today is my favorite day -Winnie the Pooh

Eva Cate is home from camp-she had a much better experience this year and wasn’t as homesick… but the showers only had cold water and she was ready for a hot shower.

The Lowcountry is having to do the dog paddle lately …trying not to sink…from the amount of rain and thundershowers we have had lately. Lots of flooding! But the cone flowers are hanging in there!