Last summer I read a book that inspired me to give my daughter a special gift for her birthday. I reached out to 12 special women in Kate's life and asked them if they would each take her on a date, one date a month for the year. They all graciously agreed and she has been having memorable experiences every month on her dates with these special women in her life.
Yesterday afternoon I had a moment when I realized that I never set up a date for me with Kate. Yes, we do little things here and there but I wanted to step out of the mundane and pour a little extra love into my daughter's heart.
So last night I surprised her and took her out for dinner and a movie. It was such a special night being able to be just the two of us. I got to listen to and laugh with my girl.
We saw Mama Mia Here We Go Again and man, the second to last scene cut to my core. I sat there quietly crying next to my daughter, grateful to be there beside her, that cancer wasn't the end of our story and that I get to live this life beside her and do things, like date nights with her and pour love into her heart daily.
One of the takeaways from the movie is this quote I want to plant deep in my daughter's heart, "Do what makes your soul shine." These words have such power to them because how many of us get stuck behind the mundane and responsibilities in life and forget that we have a light to offer and shine into the world?
I invite you to join me to...
Pause. Breathe. Pray.
And may we all absorb the beauty of this quote. May we remember there is a light within each of us we are meant to shine into the world. May we choose to do what makes our soul shine, and encourage others beside us, like our spouses and children, to do the same.
And if you aren't sure of what it is that makes your soul shine, Ken Coleman shares that "where your passion and your skills intersect is your sweet spot." And I believe in that sweet spot is where you will find your soul shining.
Shine bright friend☀️🙏💕
With love and hope,
Shawn
P.S. The book that inspired me was 12 Huge Mistakes Parents Can Avoid by Tim Elmore of Growing Leaders. I took a lot more away from this book than this idea in case you are seeking a powerful read as a parent.