Hearts A'singin'

(Day Eleven in my Month of Blessings)


It is rare that I come across a day with absolutely nothing I HAVE to do while my kids are in school. But lucky for me, today was one of those special and much-too-infrequent days. I called my mom and asked if she wanted to drive to Franklin to walk around and have lunch and, of course, she is always game for an adventure. I told her I needed an hour to attend to details that couldn’t wait and then we were off.

We took the scenic route instead of the interstate and drove past a garden shop my mom had always wanted to go in. We stopped and looked and then wandered into another store – Over the Moon – and a small coffee shop we fell in love with called The Good Cup. We were ready to move in – it was that cozy, the coffee that good, and the feeling of friends just waiting to be met made us love the place immediately. We were off to a good start.

Then, we headed to downtown Franklin that, in and of itself, is just so neat and up our alleys, it’s a wonder neither of us has moved there yet. Most of Main St. is locally owned stores that are a joy to wander through. I catch myself breathing contented sighs of appreciation as I look at the handmade pottery and jewelry, the artwork. Beautiful and unique home goods – furniture, lamps, shelves. You name it, it doesn’t look like it was just drop-shipped from Costco, made for the masses.

What we experienced was the character and charm of a small Southern town. From the cute stores to our favorite restaurant – Meridee’s Breadbasket – it all has a down-to Earth feel that you don’t get a lot of other places. Pair all of this with the company of one of your favorite people and it made for a cherished outing that was both rejuvenating and grounding.

When people do what they love and believe in, the energy is palpable. That’s what we got today. And that’s what I’m thankful for – the creativity and ingenuity of others, the risks they take to do what they love, and to share their gifts with the world. It’s what my mom and I are trying to do with Singing Heart Press (work that makes our hearts sing) and why I can deeply appreciate what it takes for others to live and work their creativity well.

I am thankful for all the artists out there who share themselves and their gifts with the world. The world is indeed a much richer, deeper, more vibrant place because of you.