I have the pleasure of reading with my 11 year old daughter on most nights. This week we read,
“Far from Fair” by Elena Arnold (http://www.amazon.com/Far-Fair-Elana-K-Arnold/dp/0544602277) As we read together, I was struck by the incredible messages that were woven in to the story. Elena touches on change, loss, fear, death, love and so many other rich emotions. She does this so beautifully, and I found myself re-reading passage after passage to lock the messaging in to my mind.
At one point, I came across a quote and after reading it multiple times, my daughter tossed my iPhone across the room and said, “take a picture, Mom.” My daughter has spent enough time with me to know that I love capturing positive and thoughtful messaging. Of course, I took this as an opportunity to take the picture to secure these words. “Sometimes we are powerless over what life gives us, ” Grandma Sissy said. “But we have the power over what we do with what we’re given.”
In this moment, I paused and my daughter and I shared how this is relevant in our own lives. We have the power to decide how we respond to adversity, grief, and what I speak about in my book as times of uncertainty. When I got to work that morning, I actually used this quote to open up my team meeting. It doesn’t matter whether you are in a personal or a professional setting…these words apply. The only certainty in life is that it will be uncertain. Knowing this, I like the concept of choosing our own direction. Each one of us can choose happiness, be the change, find the magic and decide.
Thank you to Elena Arnold for weaving these messages in to a lovely story and giving me a backdrop to share these special moments with my daughter.
