Love even more.

Published: Tue, 07/12/16

Yesterday, Brandon asked me if I could drive him to the doctor right away. 

“Sure, what’s going on?” I asked. 

Sharp pains in his chest. Intermittent throbbing. Tightness. Hard to breathe. 

We saw the nurse. Then we saw the doctor. Then we waited for test results. Then we waited to see the doctor again. In the end, they couldn’t provide any conclusive diagnosis. It could be this. It could be that. His vital signs look perfect. He seems to be healthy, in no immediate danger, and yet... the pain is still there. It’s mysterious.

What do you do when life feels scary? When threats materialize out of nowhere? When answers don’t arrive?

This is what we did:

- We found a joke website and read dirty jokes to each other out loud.
- We talked about our future plans and creative projects. 
- We snuggled and I massaged Brandon’s feet.

That’s what we have to do. 

Laugh. Plan. Create. Love each other. Hold each other. Be awake and present for one another. All of this: even more fiercely.

What else can we do?

In a world filled with so many wonders and so many heartbreaks, the only “response” that makes any sense to me is: Love even more.

. . . 

It has been a rough couple of weeks, both nationally and globally. I imagine you’re feeling the “heaviness,” too. Sometimes, the right story at the right moment can restore hope. I hope these stories provide some encouragement for you...

- Everything changes now if you say so. My friend used to have explosive, angry outbursts. Then one day she decided: "Never again." I am continually inspired by people who decide to transform—and actually do it. (People can change. Our world can change. It's not too late.)

- It all matters. The way you craft your emails. The way you help your clients. All of your efforts matter. This is a true story about a hairstylist who learned, one day, just how much his work matters. (He had no idea.)

- Be the lighthouse. What if you decided to be like a lighthouse, beaming light into the world every day through your writing, your social media feed, your work, everything you do? One woman chose to do that. (And... amazing things happened.)

- Fear Choice vs. Love Choice. Which will you choose? I’ll never forget the night when a woman unexpectedly shared this question with me. Simple and powerful.

. . . 

May we all remember to choose love.

Even more.

-Alex

PS. Every week, I receive emails from lovely people who are wondering things like… 

“Can I hire you?” “Will you write my website language?” “When is your next book coming out?” “What types of workshops will you offer in the future?” “I’m visiting Portland soon—could we meet for coffee and be friends and stuff?”

Maybe you’ve been wondering about some of those things, too? If so... here is a big list of all the beautiful things that you & I can do together. I hope this list gives you a nice “aerial view” of everything that’s going on in my world. Enjoy. (And: thanks for asking.)

PPS. I can't stop listening to this song. Gorgeous.

PPPS. Fred Rogers is a lifelong hero of mine. I love his stance on how to cope with tragedies: 

"When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, 'Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.' To this day, especially in times of disaster, I remember my mother's words and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers—so many caring people in this world." —Fred Rogers 

It's true. The helpers are everywhere. You are one of them.