{"id":6983,"date":"2016-08-09T06:19:03","date_gmt":"2016-08-09T12:19:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.handsfreemama.com\/?p=6983"},"modified":"2016-08-09T08:13:22","modified_gmt":"2016-08-09T14:13:22","slug":"the-right-time-to-hear-four-inclusive-words","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.handsfreemama.com\/2016\/08\/09\/the-right-time-to-hear-four-inclusive-words\/","title":{"rendered":"The Right Time to Hear Four Inclusive Words"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"DSC_0368\"<\/a>\u201cI ain\u2019t made for a rivalry, I could never take the world alone
\n<\/em>I know that in my weakness I am stronger
\n<\/em>It\u2019s your love that brings me home
\n<\/em>Brother, let me be your shelter
\n<\/em>I\u2019ll never leave you all alone.\u201d<\/em>
\n\u2013Needtobreathe<\/p>\n

As my daughters ran around the house excitedly looking for jean shorts and hairbands, I double-checked my purse, making sure I had four white papers tucked safely inside. I was absolutely certain this was my chance \u2026 my open window \u2026 my golden opportunity to leave an indelible recording in four impressionable young minds. Two of my daughters\u2019 dearest friends from the state where we used to live were going to be spending the day with us. Recently, I\u2019d felt a sense of urgency to tell these two sets of sisters something important; I refused to let time<\/em> get the best of us.<\/p>\n

The history of this special friendship was long and deep for their relatively short lives, but it was not complicated. Their connection began seven years ago with shared costumes and pretend tea. It evolved into sharing birthdays, church pews, daily rides to school, backyard forts, secrets, prayers, tears, and triumphs. Over the years, I\u2019ve come to love them all, collectively and individually. I know their strengths. I know where they feel weak and vulnerable. I know what their faces look like when they are hurt, worried, or confused. I know when they are completely at ease. Most of all, I see the unique and important contribution each one makes in the world. I see their inner lights. And my greatest fear is that someone or something will snuff out their lights.<\/p>\n

\"DSC_0383\"<\/a><\/p>\n

I worry these vibrant young people will be lead to believe they are not enough\u2014that they need to be smarter, smaller, taller, wittier, quieter, faster, flashier, shinier, riskier, or bolder.<\/p>\n

One of the four girls is embarking on her first year of middle school. Two of them are embarking into their 13th<\/sup> year of life. The youngest of the group hits double digits in a matter of days. Moments of uncertainty, exclusion, rejection, and insecurity are common during these delicate years, as they are with many stages of life. But right now these four young ladies are listening; they are open; they are receptive. And I was going to have them all to myself. I would not waste this opportunity to provide them with inner armor; I was determined to place an important message on their hearts and wrists before someone else dared to dispute it.<\/p>\n

I sat at a picnic table while the girls perused the outdoor mall. When ominous clouds began to move in, I sent a text to my older daughter indicating they should make their way back to the restaurant where we planned to meet for lunch.<\/p>\n

As the girls walked up, I had a second thought. \u201cLet\u2019s get in the car for a moment,\u201d I said. \u201cI want to give you something.\u201d<\/p>\n

The girls happily piled in, just like they did when they were in kindergarten, minus the booster seats. As we shut the doors, the rain started coming down. It felt safe and soothing, and they were all mine; I had a captivated audience. I felt like I\u2019d cleverly outwitted time<\/em>. The young ladies looked at me expectantly.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is an important school year for each of you,\u201d I began. \u201cOne of you is going to middle school, two of you are entering seventh grade, and one is turning double digits in a few days!\u201d<\/p>\n

They all smiled at each other, happiness and excitement graced their fresh faces, along with freckle kisses from the summer sun.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese are exciting and wonderful years, but they can also be years when there is a lot of wondering: Am I ok? Do I need to be more like that person? Do I belong? Someone can come along and say something that makes you doubt yourself. So today I want to give you something you can look at in those moments for reassurance and truth.\u201d<\/p>\n

The girls opened their burlap bags to find a metal cuff that said four of the most inclusive words in the English language: Come as you are.
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

\"DSC_0386\"<\/a><\/p>\n

I continued. \u201cOne of the first poems I wrote when I became an author was called, Come As You Are<\/em>, but the words didn\u2019t seem fitting for you. So yesterday I wrote a new version for people just starting out, people facing new beginnings\u2014like you.\u201d<\/p>\n

This is what I read:<\/p>\n

Come as you are.
\n<\/em>Come with your quiet strength or shaky confidence.
\n<\/em>Showing up either way takes bravery and practice.
\n<\/em>Don\u2019t let fear stop you from saying yes to life\u2019s invitations. <\/em><\/p>\n

Come as you are.
\n<\/em>Come with your mistakes, your goofiness, your humanness.
\n<\/em>People will love you more for it because then they can be real too. <\/em><\/p>\n

Come as you are.
\n<\/em>Come with what you love about yourself\u2014whether it\u2019s your hair, your handwriting, your smile, or the way you stand up for friends. Come with what you love about yourself even on days you can\u2019t find anything. By showing up, you just might make that important discovery. <\/em><\/p>\n

Come as you are.
\n<\/em>Come with what you want to hide. Come with what makes you feel insecure.
\n<\/em>I promise the person sitting next to you has insecurities too.
\n<\/em>Together you can bring those hurts into the light of day where they can no longer hold you back. <\/em><\/p>\n

Come as you are.
\n<\/em>Come with your obnoxious laugh, your funny sneeze, your out-of-tune voice. Come with what makes you YOU. You might not realize it, but someone breathes a sigh of relief when you show up. <\/em><\/p>\n

Come as you are.
\n<\/em>Come with your decision to pay no mind to the haters. Refuse to let their jealousy or toxicity sabotage this moment in your life. Keep shining. Someday you\u2019ll look back and be glad you didn\u2019t let someone else dim your radiance.<\/em><\/p>\n

Come as you are.
\nCome with your dreams, no matter how silly or outlandish. You are capable of those dreams. I\u2019ve seen you in action\u2014there is no limit to what you can do. <\/em><\/p>\n

Come as you are, and offer the same acceptance to others.
\n<\/em>Come with one kind thing to say, especially when people are staring at someone and talk is cruel. Come with kindness, and it will come back to you in ways unimaginable.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\n

Come as you are, just as you are.
\n<\/em>Resist the pressure to conform.
\n<\/em>Resist the pressure to be like someone else.
\n<\/em>Be your beautiful, radiant, one-of-a kind self.
\n<\/em>There is nothing more freeing than loving yourself \u201cas is.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n

Come as you are, you don\u2019t need to change a thing\u2014not today, not ever.
\n<\/em>Come as you are; let your inner light invite someone else to come forth \u201cas is.\u201d
\n<\/em>Come as you are, a living beacon of hope.<\/em><\/p>\n

During the reading, the girls were quiet except for a few lines\u2014one line brought laughter, one garnered head nods, and one line produced a fierce muscle flex. And when I was finished, the girls thanked me profusely and quickly slipped the cuffs on their wrists.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s go eat!\u201d I exclaimed, noticing the rain had magically stopped and the sun was peaking out.<\/p>\n

As the foursome walked toward the restaurant, one of the young ladies wrapped her arm around her friend. The next one followed suit, and then the next one, until they fell in line shoulder to shoulder.<\/p>\n

\"DSC_0369\"<\/a><\/p>\n

It was subtle, but the message was clear, \u201cI love you for who you are. I\u2019ve got your back, sister. I\u2019ve got your back.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Armor of Acceptance<\/em><\/p>\n

Together we are stronger than we are alone.<\/p>\n

For a fleeting moment, I thought, my work here is done.<\/em><\/p>\n

But I know it\u2019s not.<\/p>\n

My work is far from over.<\/p>\n

I will continue to encourage and affirm these sisters every chance I get, as well as other sisters and brothers\u2014those who I\u2019ve met and have yet to meet, those who I love and who are hard to love.<\/p>\n

Because don\u2019t we all, at some point or another, wonder if we are okay \u2026 if we need changing \u2026 if we belong? What might happen if we were to start looking for those in fragile periods of uncertainty, times when they\u2019re most open and hungry for words of acceptance and assurance? What if we were to provide a moment of shelter from conformity\u2019s damaging forces? What if we allowed our sisters and brothers to be themselves in our presence? What if we frequently reminded them, \u201cYou are perfect just as you are?\u201d<\/p>\n

The Armor of Acceptance<\/em> \u2026 it\u2019s a beautiful thing.<\/p>\n

One size fits all.
\nQuantities are unlimited.
\nBreathing room is included.<\/p>\n

The Armor of Acceptance<\/em> \u2026 it's a beautiful thing.<\/p>\n

I have it to give.
\nYou have it to give.
\nAnd by giving it to others, we inadvertently give it to ourselves.<\/p>\n

Come as you are, just as you are \u2026 and I will too. Because when I invite you, I invite myself.<\/p>\n

Shoulder to shoulder, scar to scar, heart to heart, we are stronger together than we are alone.<\/p>\n

\"DSC_0374\"<\/a><\/p>\n

*****************<\/p>\n

Dear friends of the Hands Free Revolution<\/a>, I leave you with two important notes:<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

1) As many young people head into new school years and new territories, please consider gifting them with the \u201ccome as you are\u201d cuff <\/a>(comes in copper or aluminum) and feel free to use any words I have written above to communicate your unconditional love and acceptance. There is free domestic shipping on all items in the Hands Free Shop<\/a> from today until August 19th. Simply use the code LOVESCHOOL to receive that discount at checkout. The \u2018see flowers not weeds<\/a>\u2019 metal cuff is back in stock. <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

2) Bay Area friends, tickets for my September 13th<\/sup> speaking event in\u00a0Diablo go on sale tomorrow (Wednesday, August 10) on the event page here<\/a>. The coordinators of the event indicate the event will sell out very quickly so please click their event page<\/a> for that ticket link posting on 8\/10. If you don\u2019t have a Facebook account, you can contact Community Presbyterian Church<\/a> who is hosting the event. Thanks to everyone who have let me know they are coming! It makes me feel so loved! <\/em><\/strong>I am also looking forward to seeing my friends in Chattanooga, Clarksville, and Mandan this fall. See my speaking event page<\/a> for dates and ticket information. (Please note, the date of the event in Clarksville was changed to Thursday, October 6th<\/sup>.)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Thank you for being part of The Hands Free Revolution<\/a>. Join me on Instagram<\/a> for additional messages, images,\u00a0and invitations to come as you are. I cherish each one of you.\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u201cI ain\u2019t made for a rivalry, I could never take the world alone I know that in my weakness I am stronger It\u2019s your love that brings me home Brother, let me be your shelter I\u2019ll never leave you all alone.\u201d \u2013Needtobreathe As my daughters ran around the house excitedly looking for jean shorts and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":6975,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[262],"tags":[562,564,1517,43,1669,1671,1067,914,1670,1258,1532],"gutentor_comment":29,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.handsfreemama.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/DSC_0369-e1470707123389.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1fUJF-1OD","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.handsfreemama.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6983"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.handsfreemama.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.handsfreemama.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.handsfreemama.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.handsfreemama.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6983"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.handsfreemama.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6983\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.handsfreemama.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6975"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.handsfreemama.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6983"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.handsfreemama.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6983"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.handsfreemama.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6983"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}