This Friday will mark the one year anniversary of my dad’s passing. Before I dive into the insight this year has brought me I want to first share my love for you on this journey.
When I first told you my dad had crossed I was flooded with emails of love and concern, hope and prayers. As I shared stories of my dad, you told me those stories mattered. Probably the biggest gift has been feeling him live through you as you read about him.
Grief is not a straight line and there you were, willing to listen to me as I let my heart take me where it needed to go.
A client recently asked me if she should be doing more to drive her audience to take action with her emails… emails like these. I told her the “correct” marketing answer was “yes” but I had found treating these emails as a relationship, rather than a marketing strategy, had proven far more rewarding for me and I encouraged her to do the same.
This past year was one of those years I was so grateful I had taken the “marketing road less traveled.”
I love you.
I don’t say that lightly. I want you to know that when I quiet myself I can feel the pulse of energy that passes between us – through these emails. That, to me, is the best of what humanity has to offer – to feel connected simply because we open our hearts to one another.
I know you. I know you lay awake some nights. Maybe because of money issues, or worries about a loved one or wondering what is coming next. I also know you celebrate life – especially when you are experiencing love through your people, or animals or nature.
You dance between fear and love as we all do but you are always, courageously, reaching for love and that is what makes you different. And that is what makes me grateful you are here in my life.
In the dark shadow of comparison, you may see yourself not measuring up but I can tell you this for a fact. If you wake up every morning and reach for the love you are winning. I know this world’s media and messages don’t always show you that, but trust me. Kindness and love are the hallmarks of a great life. That has been the learning that has come from this year. As I talked to my dad (and mom) this is what they repeat over and over again. Build a life you can be proud of. Affect people well. On the other side, your legacy is how much you honored your own heart and loved others.
Last week I mentioned the “pursuit of success” is fun. It is one of the gifts of being human. But it’s important that your goals come from within your soul – not your ego and not the outside world.
When love has defined success then it’s easy to pivot well when life throws you a curveball.
My dad lived a good life and was well-loved but he never knew his own greatness. He didn’t understand it until he crossed over and all the people he had helped throughout his life were waiting to greet him.
As I wrote that last sentence I asked my dad if he had anything he wanted to offer you. This is what he said.“Tell them I loved you, Patty, so very much. But didn’t always show it. Not with the abandon, I feel now. Tell them to put down anything that keeps them from loving fully and freely. It will be lifted from them when they get here anyway, so there is no reason to carry it now.”
So there you have it – direct from my dad – “put down your burdens to open yourself to love.”
If you’d like to help me celebrate his one year in heaven – find a way to release even a small burden. Lighten your load then comment here and tell me about it!
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