If you can't say something nice, don't say nothin at all...

The other day right after my kids finished their tennis lesson. A woman came up to me and said something that has stuck with me. She said "everyone needs to hear good things about themselves..." And then she went on to very sweetly say that my blog had actually inspired her. Instead of feeling "successful" I was humbled, flattered and her first words have stuck with me.  I don't do that enough, say something nice TO someone's face. I can do it all day "about" them. But I was so touched that someone I don't know very well would do that. So I decided I'm going to do it via my blog tonight. There is a woman I know that I truly ADORE. I need to tell her because I feel like she needs to hear it and I thought this May honor her.

Elizabeth Tracy and I met maybe 5 years ago? I had her youngest son Peter in my preschool class he is the same age as Tripp. She is a delight. She is beautiful, kind, funny, smart.... I could go on and on. But really the main thing is her spirit. Or maybe the Holy Spirit around her. I went running today and I ran into her (no pun intended) about 20 yards in. As soon as I am in her presence I do feel the spirit. I consider myself to really honestly feel spirit led a lot. I don't mean that in a bragging sense, I think it's because I am constantly begging him to guide me but I do think I feel things about people. Elizabeth has like a bubble of Holy Spirit you walk into and you feel it. There have been very few women in my life that I like to call my comfort blanket, my mom being one and a few others. Elizabeth is most definitely one of them. I am at home around her and love talking to her love being around her.  This may embarrass her but when our sons were probably 4? She came rushing into my classroom one morning just devastated because Peter had spit on Tripp. Tripp has probably spat on a few kids, Ava my "Angel" spit lemonade and lasagna in her friends face this weekend- so pretty much all kids have done it. But Elizabeth was crushed. That's how passionate I see her and well she loves others. She use to drop Peter off in my class and come and sit for a few minutes, ask us how we were and tell us how she was. She is truly strong to have had a toddler at home and take care of her ill mother, lose her mother and still love her family truly well. Most moms just drop the kids off (some we kick out), we almost always say "your child will be better off if you just go" but I never said that to her. She is one of those women I would love to sit with and just listen... I am thankful for her presence in my life even though brief encounters have been the extent of our friendship I'll take it! 

I am praying as I write this she doesn't think I am some creep.... But I do love her and her heart and spirit and wanted to "tell" her that. This is not as "brave" as telling her to her face but I'd like to start telling people really how I feel about them- it's a new "thing" for me and I want to do it more.  Go find someone and tell them how they have inspired you, how much you admire them or love what they share or how they talk. They need to hear it