sometimes our breath is taken away...

today a friend & chaplain i am continuing work with from the lovely facility i was a short term chaplain shared lunch and planning time. as we were creating a celebration of spring for this week, i found out a resident died recently that i was taking wisdom cards to on thursday. i had mentioned her, not having any idea that she would not be here to receive those cards. her death took everyone by surprise.

two souls who have left work in my hands are gone. this dear woman from Scotland who loved my wisdom cards and had shared a number of them with others can no longer share her kindness and generosity. yet her spirit of generosity lives on. another is a fiery woman who could tell stories like no other. she was one with whom i ministered at a church a few years ago. we've kept up at art events and seeing each other in the neighborhood over the years, delighting when we see each other. a missing earring she thought i may have made ((but that i didn't make)) rests on my desk waiting for inspiration in creating a sister piece.

i've had to catch my breath a few times in a few weeks hearing the news.

in the spirit of these beautiful sister souls... i am doing a couple things in memory of each. for my fiery, spirited friend. a necklace for her teenage daughter who is an artist and amazing young woman left longing for her mother. maybe this small piece of her mom, something she loved, will share a little comfort and love for her. for the zesty, dear woman who bonded with me over my lenten lecture series, i will be giving out 16 wisdom cards.

perhaps you need one of those 16 cards. send me a message of what you need in this moment, or just say "me" in the subject line of an email and your address in the body. i'll go with the spirit and send you what is hopefully exactly what you need. email me at slsvinson {at} me {dot} com.

kindness changes everything. a kindness story.

on this life journey i'm constantly practicing.  practicing forgiveness.  practicing kindness.  you'll hear me use that word, picking up on its importance for me these days.  this morning as i sat at the newly painted porch bistro table, i took paper and pen to write one of those letters of release that will never be sent.  one of those tough, but good for you sort of letters.  one that has been years in the making.  it was a letter i've been thinking about writing for over a month but have been putting it off.  today was the day.  after writing the letter on a folded piece of copy paper ((this letter needed the most basic piece of paper. nothing fancy.)) i sat listening to the birds.  their sweet voices carried me into a place of wholeness. 

from that space of wholeness, i was breathing deeply.  i felt forgiveness and kindness making its way deep into my bones.  it felt good.  really good.  the letter was written.  more than that, it was done.  then.  then.  over the birdsong i heard a mother speaking rather loudly in exasperated tones to her wee ones down the street.  judgement?  not today.  i listened.

when i listened i heard fatigue.  i heard that someone's likely teething.  i heard a voice that spoke of need.  soon she gathered her wee ones into their vehicle and the purr of her engine neared, carrying her on about her business.  at that moment, i took my pen in hand and wrote this on the other piece of paper with my grocery list & daily tasks.

i wrote without stopping, with a knowing.  that knowing came from recognizing her voice as my own at times.  knowing that i have had those moments of exasperation, where i'm snapping at my sweet boy.  moments when i crush his loving, sharing spirit because i'm too busy, too focused, too distracted.  those are fewer and farther between, but still present.  my words flowed from that space of knowing.  that space of wisdom.

i placed three tea bags into a red envelope, added a couple kindness changes everything stickers and closed the envelope, adding another sticker to the outside that could still be used again.  i walked to her place and taped the envelope on the gate.

while i don't know this mother personally, i know her.  i get it without needing to understand.  i know the struggles and the joys of motherhood.  i know what it means to have a gift of a good word.  tea tucked between words meant to be a blessing.

as i was driving away, i watched her return home.  then i left before i could see anything else.  i wanted her to receive without a witness.  without me carrying anything from this ding dong ditch ((of sorts)).  i wanted her to receive womankindness.

practicing.  practicing forgiveness.  forgiving myself as i listen and respond without judgement.  listen through knowing.  forgiving myself.  practicing kindness.  to teach our children kindness, we do kind things.  even when no one's looking.

no praise needed.  no witnesses needed, either.  yet, i am called to create.  called to share stories in this space.  sharing in this way today was vunerable.  i found that i was practicing what it means to be brave and kind.

i listened to a wise friend today who said, "there's kindness in others if your eyes are open to it."  she's living with a kind heart, aware of the goodness surrounding her.  what a gift, k!   i received a call from P who told me about a magical encounter where kindness and courage and goodness met in a way that blessed a young women.  these stories are real.  and good.  and pure.

maybe a word or two is for you today as well.  if you have a word or two to share, please do.  xo.

be brave and kind. soulsisters. an invitation to you.

there's something really magical about this message. there's something magical about the color and the life that encircles this wisdom.  there's something really meaningful, too.  

for so long, i've wanted to be brave.  i've longed for the space to show bravery. bravery.  a badge of courage and strength and resilience.  bravery in the face of some really sad stuff.  bravery when watching a 6 year old's friendly high five rejected again and again.  bravery to speak truth in the face of silence.  bravery to name what is unsettling.  bravery to be me. 

as patience and i embarked on the soulsister collaboration we sat at the table and shared food ((when we could remember to eat)) because just sitting together fed us.  just sharing stories of our lives and hopes and dreams fed us.  bravery.  it's a brave act to step into a collaborative space. it's brave to share your soul with another human being and to receive their soul's sharing as a gift. it's bravery to lean into your truth and live your call.  it's bravery to listen daily for wisdom and to speak it through a pen and paintbrush.  

patience told me about her need for and love of the words be brave and kind.  i listened.  and then i carried these words with me. night and day. i carried the words in my pocket. and i listened.  listening for the words to speak their truth in life.  i heard.  pen and paintbrush in hand. 

be brave and kind. 

a daily practice. 

do you have it figured out?  me either.  and that's o.k.  

life welcomes the practice.  life is.  life is full of crazy.  life is full of loss.  life is full of joy.  life is full. 

we make space for one another.  as we gather together at the studio table to create, folks share stories of their lives and i see their bravery. i see their kindness.  i learn from each of you what it means to be brave and kind.  i celebrate.  my spirit soars with appreciation as i am reminded again and again that bravery is here. in this breath.  in this step.  in these words.  

we are on a shared journey.  i'm thankful to be traveling alongside some amazing folks.  the tribe is forming.  ((echoing in the fibers of my being.))  with each new day that i'm able to hear a new story i am thankful.  what a gift!  thank you for sharing your soul.  your story.  your piece of the journey by stepping into your creativity and loving yourself well.  thank you for wrapping yourself in kindness and then sharing your kindness with others.  thank you ahead of time for participating in this endeavor!  i am humbled. and grateful.  

the community is linking hands.  join your hands to ours and send your image with be brave and kind whether you purchase the print or handwrite or draw your own sign and send it to patience@kindnessgirl.com.  gather with us.  


and visit patience's blog to comment for a chance to receive a 5x5 print before tomorrow at 11 p.m.  you can visit the shop for the assortment of soulsister goodness as well as the full line of silver tree art goods.  i'm amazed by the graduation and teacher gift love.  each of these are so brave and kind.  entering the world with knowledge, sharing what they know.  

join us...

xo.

kindness changes everything.

kindness on the move!  

while on an overnight retreat this past friday night, i shared a trio of kindness changes everything stickers.  i decided this kindness mission was meant to be shared from the start. 

at a hotel table in the lobby: 

beside a phone.  a phone!!  in one of the halls. 

and for a special someone who saw me carrying flowers.  i hadn't intended them for her, but soon realized they were for her.  she said, "oh, thank you! these will make my work day go by faster."  as she slipped into a room i snuck a sticker under and snapped a photo.  what a kind soul she was.  so hoping her day was just what she needed and the smell of these flowers continues to lift her spirit.  i hope that she can fill her mug and receive exactly what she needs, whatever that is.  

kindness changes everything.  

kindness certainly changes us from within.  we release worry, tension, fear.  we can release our own possessive thoughts and egocentric behaviors.  we look beyond ourselves while practicing the goodness nesting within.  

kindness.  changes.  everything. 

((and i'm so thankful for the contiued lessons learned in this soulsister collaboration!))

read the beginning at kindnessgirl.com. 

read lessons learned at kindnessgirl.com.  

post your photos of kindness missions using the stickers on the silver tree art fb page. 

a soulsister collaboration. kindness changes everything.

photo by patience salgado. 

today is full.  really. really full.  i've been grieving.  i've been working.  i've been creating.  all the while, my dear, dear soulsister patience has been writing and sharing a piece of something new.  visit kindnessgirl for her story of strawberries, soulsisters, and stickers.  it's a story of two friends and kindred spirits who are really soulsisters coming together.  like patience, i'm not sure of when we first met.  i've followed kindness girl.  i've created kindness missions with my sweet boy.  i've loved patience quite some time.  

photo by patience salgado. 

so when patience asked me for a custom creation to meet a vision she had for collaboration, there was no question.  yes. yes. yes.  

because kindness is a gift.  and because wisdom is meant to be shared, i'm completely in!   

So here’s the deal friends:

1. You can buy 5 stickers for $3 and we’ll send you 5 more to pass on, share, do something kind! That’s really 10 stickers for $3 (plus shipping) over at the Silver Tree Art store on Etsy. Click here.

2. All of the money will go into a SoulSister Kindness Jar to be used for future kindness missions (more about that later).

3. If you order stickers and happen to leave them some where public, or part of a kindness mission or even in your own space, send us a picture to patience@kindnessgirl.com or upload them to the Silver Tree Art Facebook page so we can watch kindness move and travel.

With so much love,

Suzanne and Patience  

((we are each giddy with excitement to see these stickers leaving the nest.  they'll be spread in so many places.  we're capping the sales at 1,000 stickers (or so). be sure to get your pack and share the love.  xo.))