Dear Reader:

The term ” heartseed” refers to the seed of wisdom and compassion that resides in each of us… displaying itself in our individual ” gifts” ( talents) bestowed on us by our Creator and developed by the selected human mentors who appear ( throughout our lives) to show us the path… our memory angels and ancestors

Yesterday a phrase I had read (earlier) by Victoria Frank Benton became a life-lifting human experience. In thanking her late beloved author mother …Victoria stated” Thank you for planting the seed in my heart to be a storyteller.”

Thursday afternoon I went to spend the night with the Turners to keep Jake while John and Mandy took Eva Cate to her first outdoor ” pop” concert at Daniel Island. As it turned out Jake decided to ” keep me” … armed and ready to ” secure the premises” with his ” Nerf” guns. ( I felt so protected that Winnie the dog and I snuggled on the sofa and watched television while Jake patrolled! )

Yesterday started out with a fabulous breakfast and slow walks around the gardens but as the morning went on we noticed Eva Cate was getting nervous about her first golf summer lesson and some other new experiences on the agenda.

Eva Cate has an adorable vivacious personality when she has come to know you… but she is timid and self-doubting initially… worried about appearance and first impressions … she is an adolescent coming of age… a very difficult stage when one can easily become ( unknowingly) his/her own worse enemy or at least critic. ( Aren’t we so glad we don’t have repeat that stage of development again? )

Mandy and I knew we had to turn the mood around… and fast…then I heard ” Boo Boo… tell me a funny story!” Please! ” Now the pressure was on!

I started telling her a true ( but greatly ) embellished story of a student from my early teaching years who had been held back so many years he ended up driving to school and he was somewhat of a legend to incoming students who both feared and idolized him at the same time.

I had forgotten Mandy had started 8th grade his last round at middle school and she knew the girlfriend and helped add some funny incidences too. Eva Cate was laughing so hard her drink bubbled out of her nose! A sure sign the story is funny! The whole worried aura around her lifted and disappeared.

*** I realized yesterday that if Eva Cate can say one day… ” Boo Boo could make me smile when I was sad by telling a funny story… that is enough… my gift… my ” heartseed.”

So until tomorrow… No matter our age we still need to remind ourselves…

Today is my favorite day – Winnie the Pooh

…And thank you Honey for my sunshine card! We always need the reminder!!!💗