If I Had My Way

Today I'm thankful because I actually got to sleep in. Until 9:30. And it was glorious. I woke up slowly, lounged around in PJs, enjoyed a sweet latte, jumped onto a tweet chat for a bit, then went on a long walk. The first song that played on my iPod was Linda Eder's haunting ballad If I Had My Way. 

She wrote it after 9/11, but it still fits today, 
especially after what happened this week in Parkland, Florida.
It has made me reflect on some of the things we take for granted.
On what I think we could do better.
On what our world could be like if I had my way.

If I had my way ... 

We would see all children as our children,
even the ones with mental illness,
{especially the ones with mental illness}
because it truly does take a village to raise a child.
We would serve as healthy role models so that
they all know, embrace, and feel from little on 
that we see them, 
that they belong, 
and that they matter.

We would give our youngest leaders leadership opportunities
so that they know how to lead when the time comes.
We would help them work through angry, hard feelings
by letting them know that it's okay to not be okay
and giving them healthy strategies for emotions expression.
We would make our schools safe zones where
we put social and emotional learning first;
we would remember to focus on nurturing the whole child,
mind, body, and spirit.
We would willingly step into each other's stories,
be kinder to each other on purpose, with intention,
and love unconditionally.

We would honestly care-front one another
and initiate courageous conversations that need to happen.
We would hold one another accountable for their choices
and help each other restore what they've harmed
not just by saying sorry, but by doing sorry.
We would report stuff that doesn't seem right
so that we can work together to fix it and move on.
We would lavishly shower grace and forgiveness
and live and lead with a servant heart.

We would listen to understand more often,
and listen to respond less frequently.
We would comfort one another when they're hurting
and let them comfort us when we're hurting.
We would hug more and give the gift of hope to each other.
We would choose joy and positivity.
We would make gratitude a verb.
We would focus on progress not perfection.
We would work to be a better version of ourselves every day
while we help others do the same.
And we would connect with each other
as if our life depends on it,
because I'm pretty sure it does.

If I had my way, we would hold each other's hearts so close,
as if today were our only chance to get it right. 
We would show and tell people 
what we're thinking, 
how we're feeling,
what they mean to us.
Today.
Right now.
Because we never know what tomorrow might bring.

Such an incredible gift today's reflection time has been.

What would be different if you had your way?