Be thankful and just say ‘yes’ | Regina Brett
In the midst of your busy, complicated, messy life, say yes.
Say yes to that tug on your heart, that poke at your soul, that spiritual nudge that whispers, “Do it.”
I said yes to a simple tug on my heart over 20 years ago, and it set off a chain reaction of love that is still going strong.
Author Michael Singer says our highest mission is to “serve the moment in front of you in the highest way possible so that moment is better because it passed before you.”
You.
What is this moment asking of you?
A moment passed before me two decades ago that has become my favorite story to tell every Thanksgiving, but it isn’t just a holiday story.
The back story? I became pregnant at 21 when I was at Kent State University. That brief dating relationship had already ended, so I was an unwed mother. That’s what they called us back in the ‘70s. But what some saw as a shameful mistake became my greatest gift, a daughter, who has never stopped blessing my life.
I often share that story because someone needs to hear it. One day, a friend who knew my story told me about a young woman in her 20s who was pregnant and wasn’t married. Could I talk to her? Of course. That’s my gift, I’ve been given that lottery ticket in life – the unwed mother ticket – so my heart opens to that tug every time.
Sharon wasn’t sure what was involved in being a single parent. I invited her to meet my daughter and hear her side of our life. I didn’t marry until my daughter was 18, so it was a long, beautiful journey the two of us shared.
Sharon and I became friends, and when Thanksgiving rolled around, I invited her to join us. Thanksgiving morning she called and asked if she could bring her brother.
That sounds so simple and small, but it became a Kodak moment frozen in time. It was 21 years ago but still feels like it was yesterday. Of course I said yes.
My parents had 11 children and always made room for more. We just squeezed in any strays from college that weren’t going home for Thanksgiving. There was always enough food and fun to go around.
So on Thanksgiving day, the doorbell rang and in walked Sharon with her handsome brother, James. I can still see him standing there, black hair, blue eyes and the sweetest, kindest smile.
My daughter married him three years later. Sharon’s little boy wore a tux to their wedding and beamed as if he knew he was the cupid who brought them together.
For years, Sharon raised Finn as a single mother, but we all showed up for school events and birthdays and holidays.
Then one day, I gave a talk out in Chester Township. During my book signing, a man came to my table and told me a bit of his life story. Eric had written a book about losing his wife, who was just 27 when she had a heart attack and died. Their son was just 5 months old when she died. Eric had raised David alone for years. Would I read his book?
Eric wrote about how he had coached his son’s T-ball and flag football teams, how they ran races together and visited hospice patients with their guitars. He was the kindest soul.
While I read it, I felt that tug on my heart. I knew he was Sharon’s beshert. Meant to be. I asked him if he’d have coffee with her, just to meet. No pressure. They both agreed.
They dated and started to blend their friends and families, sharing joys and adventures as their hearts opened to each other and to parenting the boys they had once raised alone.
Then one day, Eric took Sharon to Squire’s Castle, rolled out a red carpet and asked her to be his forever love.
They’ve been married now for six years. They have two little girls together. Their sons are now in college. Finn attends The Ohio State University in Columbus; David is a freshman at Ohio University in Athens.
I love that my three grandchildren are their cousins. What a joy for everyone.
One moment.
All it takes for a chain reaction of love to start is to say “yes” to that one moment.
That moment will come to you, will call on you, and when it does, say “yes.”
Connect with Regina Brett on Facebook at ReginaBrettFans and sign up for her weekly newsletter at reginabrett.com.