As I was thinking through messages to share with my amazing workmates and teams and fighting with the spell checker over how to even spell fairy/faery/fairey, I realized that all of my network, friends and family may find some joy in this post.
As I head into the Easter weekend, starting with today, Good Friday, I find myself talking pause to reflect on more than our current world situation, but also on the past 18 months of dramatic change.
From an isolating pandemic, to social and political change, to a still new career-shift to MITRE, to corporate restructuring atop of market uncertainty, to grad school, to caring for my father and navigating his illness, to an amazing outdoor socially distanced wedding … each day has been filled end-to-end.
If I may share a lesson I’ve learned this year: the importance of grace and the impact of a fairy garden. 😊
Grace goes beyond walking in one another’s shoes, beyond sympathy, and beyond empathy. As Josh Holcomb phrased it, “Grace is the opposite of karma, which is all about getting what you deserve. Grace is getting what you don’t deserve”.
Thank you, all, for demonstrating the power of grace each day with our sponsors, with those in our communities, with our families, with one another, and with me. Sincere thanks. 😊
But what of the fairy garden? I learned the importance of shared novelty. Early in the pandemic, I salvaged a small desktop Fairy garden that my mum (what I called my mother) refreshed every year for me. I placed it out under an oak tree in front of my house so my father could watch the children stop and I could enjoy that seen from my office window.
Masked gnomes working in their yard
What started as a small novelty has grown to a year of innocent fun: “gnome bombing” other houses on the block, competing with Zoey the 9-year old neighbor girl for the niftiest addition to our gardens, and getting to know more folks in the community who made our street a destination for mid-morning or early evening walks. If you have a few spare moments, a few trinkets, and a small space outside, I urge you to start your own fairy garden.
I wish for everyone a weekend of respite, renewal, and reconnecting (virtually). For those with similar faith tradition, I wish you a joyous and Happy Easter!
May we all share in the same hope, receive and give grace, and build fairy gardens.
Be well, stay safe.
Even the Fairies masked up as COVID surged.
You can see the toll on Mr. Frog’s face of this long year.
Socially distanced community event( with half the population masked and half not (and yes, John Cena beat the Roman Reigns while the Rock cheered them on)
Fall kept us busy brushing the leaves away…
Year round and even at night…
And this proud mom can’t resist a wedding photo… Robert and Bree Bannon on our farm.
The rain stopped 2 hours before and started again after the “I dos”. 8-)