the ripple effect

I was like Rita.  I didn't care for hearts, or anything pink for that matter.  I thought it was little girlish to like hearts and so I stayed away from them.  

That is until I opened my own heart to love.  Not the romantic type of love, but a deep self love and appreciation for who I am.  I took time to find myself and to really learn what made me happy.  

It was during this self discovery that I saw hearts every where.  In rocks on the ground, up in the sky within the clouds, in the soap on my glass shower doors, in the crumb that feel off a piece of my sandwich.  Hearts were constantly showing up.  Perhaps they were always there, and I just never took the time to notice.  

Once I started seeing these hearts they showed up more and more.  In the piece of chicken that Dustin ordered for dinner, in the ice frozen over my windshield, in the small stain on the carpet at work.  Love is all around.  

I was reminded of how far I have come in my love of hearts when I read Rita's letter that Elizabeth shared on the Squam Website.  Rita shares how her heart opened when she took my class :: Love Notes Special Delivery ::  

I am blown away by this letter and the effect that class had on her.  I created that class because I felt a deep urge to introduce people to writing from the heart and showing up on the page.  I never expected that it would touch someone so deeply.  And it did.  

Throughout the class Rita shared such amazing, heartfelt, honest writing that blew me away.  I loved how she was showing up.  She inspired me immensely.  And that is the ripple effect.  When we show up and do what our heart is calling we can't help but effect those receiving our gift in a positive way.  And in turn that person goes out and follows there heart, and more people are affected.  The rings in the lake keep getting bigger and bigger.  

You do the world a disservice when you shy away from shining.  The world needs your light.  You are meant to sparkle.  Take the leap.  Follow your heart.  Watch how the ripple effect unfolds.  

You can read Rita's story here and find out more about the women who began the ripple affect for me, and how attending squam changed my life.