One of Stella’s favorite books is Frida Kahlo and her Animalitos. It’s a perfect book—full of Frida’s fierce resiliency and her menagerie of wild animals. We’ve read it approximately a million times. Yesterday, we read it for our millionth and one, and Stella, 4, paused and then said, with a casual tone, “I’d really like to meet Frida sometime soon.”
"The air felt so different on that call. I almost felt like I had to turn the sound up on my computer; the hot volume of righteousness and blame so common to these kinds of conversations was absent."
That's it right there, Courtney. So powerfully put. Isn't it wild how viscerally and immediately we feel it when we finally give ourselves collective permission to build the kind of spaces we've been craving?
Of course, I love Parker's words. While at a conference of those working with pastors, I heard some folks making the connection between the willingness to lament (naming our confusion and authentic sadness) and resiliency. Your words today feel like a compatible theme. We felt the same watching Biden's acknowledgement of the nation's great loss the night before the inauguration. Honesty community strangely leading to hope. Or not so strangely after all.
Thank you for your words, Courtney. I've been hoping you would weigh in on the school reopening fights -- here in Chicago, it's been ugly and painful and we're all anxiously waiting to see what will be decided. I love the idea of taking the longer view into what kinds of schools we want for all our children in the future, not just what we want for our own specific child this particular grading quarter. I would love to find a group of parents like the one you wrote about who are hoping for something similar and coming together to talk through it.
Beautifully said. And I love that photo of you guys with Parker!
your words make me cry. thank you, again.
Beautiful.
"The air felt so different on that call. I almost felt like I had to turn the sound up on my computer; the hot volume of righteousness and blame so common to these kinds of conversations was absent."
That's it right there, Courtney. So powerfully put. Isn't it wild how viscerally and immediately we feel it when we finally give ourselves collective permission to build the kind of spaces we've been craving?
Of course, I love Parker's words. While at a conference of those working with pastors, I heard some folks making the connection between the willingness to lament (naming our confusion and authentic sadness) and resiliency. Your words today feel like a compatible theme. We felt the same watching Biden's acknowledgement of the nation's great loss the night before the inauguration. Honesty community strangely leading to hope. Or not so strangely after all.
Thanks again for your wise words.
Wow, that's such a beautiful way to put it: lament leads to resilience. Thanks dear Winton!
Thank you for your words, Courtney. I've been hoping you would weigh in on the school reopening fights -- here in Chicago, it's been ugly and painful and we're all anxiously waiting to see what will be decided. I love the idea of taking the longer view into what kinds of schools we want for all our children in the future, not just what we want for our own specific child this particular grading quarter. I would love to find a group of parents like the one you wrote about who are hoping for something similar and coming together to talk through it.
Thanks Kathryn. So grateful for your early mentorship! I still remember sorting papers in your office.