Nurse Pink and other Kind Encouragement

Photo by Julija...!

Tonight, I offer gratitude and a story.

Thank you for the kind wishes and words yesterday on the 4th birthday of my son. I do not take for granted your encouragement and support during this season of waiting in my life. Each day brings renewed hope that my husband and I will receive the news we have been promised. And your kindness makes the days bearable in the meantime. Several of you sent private messages, and each was a gift unto itself. Thank you.

And now an anecdote.

Tonight, I visited a bookstore. I was actually working on my own book--due to launch in the next few days--and so I had taken over an entire table with my cards and pads and pens. Suddenly, I was intrigued by a tiny customer who wore a plethora of brightly colored barrettes and was taking seriously the task of purchasing a puppet.

She chose a puppet who was dressed as a nurse.

"What will you name her?" I heard the little girl's mother ask.

"Nurse Pink" the girl said with little hesitation.

"If I buy that puppet for you, you must promise me something."

(At this point, please note that I was no longer even pretending to work on my own writing.)

"What do I have to promise, Mom?"

"When we go to the hospital to visit people, you have to use that puppet to brighten other people's days. I'll buy you that puppet, but you have to make cheering people up your mission."

"Know something else, Mom?"

"I'm listening."

"We need to dye her hair pink."

"Yes. Yes, we do."