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A Story


 


I had a meeting a few months ago with a woman who wanted to hire me to write a book that would be a message of hope for children who have a life-threatening illness. 
This was a challenge for me as it was a different sort of picture book than those I’ve previously written. Plus-it was her story that I was to write. 
However, as I listened to the reasons why she wanted to share this message with children-I felt drawn to try for her. 
So I did. 
I used a lot of yoga when writing the book-I united both what I knew and what I needed to learn. I gave the child character strength and flexibility. I leaned into the discomfort of writing a book that was so clearly dealing with pain. 
I read the completed story to the woman and then gave her space to receive it. To go home and process. 
I wasn’t sure if she liked the story. Or what her family would think.
I won’t share more details of the story I wrote or the pain, hope and healing that brought her to me-as these details aren’t my story to share. But the part that I will share is her response. 

The yoga that I accessed in writing it—included one of the most potent components of the practice-listening. There are a thousand ways to listen when on the mat. When we sit in silence at the end of our practice, with eyes closed and steady breath-we are uniting with silence and connecting with stillness to-listen. I’ve learned through years of practice that this listening to relations, in relationships-off the mat, is a sacred part of yoga-from the mat and out into the world. 
But I don’t always get it right. 
It’s a lifelong practice for me. 
A few weeks went by. Then…
I received a small package from her in the mail at my writing services studio. Inside was an Angel holding a book. 
There was a handwritten note. 
It said, “…I can’t thank you enough for hearing every beat of my heart.”
I am so grateful for how this beautiful world works-that I was blessed with the humbling opportunity to listen and write the story a woman- who believes in hope and healing, wanted to share with the world. 
I continue to be blessed with grace-filled teachers. She is one of them. 🙏

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