Hey Reader!

Special moments highlighted this past week. I spent a sweet afternoon with my parents which included giving my mother a manicure as she prepared for a special event. It was sweet and joyful for both of us.

Her hands are feminine and graceful. As I carefully applied the gel polish I recalled a lifetime of watching her hands sew, knit, paint, play the piano, garden, arrange flowers, dance, teach, type, stir and bake, set tables, design, guide, discipline, caress, love, and age.

"There's Grandma's finger," I said as I pointed at her crooked index finger.

"I see a lot of my mother in my hands," she said.

"Just as I see you in my hands," I said.

"As it should be," she said.

It was poignant and perfect. It reminded me of this piece from a while back:

​When the Hands of Time Make You Cry​

As always, would love to hear your thoughts.

Quick Word - Words have power. Use them well.

This week's word: Dividends

"That's great, Sweetheart. I hope it pays dividends for you," my dad said recently when I shared a success with him. It's his oft-repeated phrase of hope and encouragement for us.

"Me too," is my usual reply. And, often my thought is that it already has paid some dividends in terms of a sense of satisfaction or opportunity or effort. It got me thinking about how life's dividends—financial or otherwise—build from there.

Dividends. What a promising word.

Dividend is a noun defined as "a resultant return or reward." Or in a stricter financial sense, "a sum or fund to be divided and distributed." Or “an individual share of something distributed.”

Assets. Benefits. Compensation. Earnings. Gains. Gravy. Harvest. Interest. Livelihood. Payoff. Returns.

In a broader life sense, a dividend is the value derived from something. Life dividends. Career dividends. Relationship dividends.

“Few things will pay you bigger dividends in life than the time you take to understand people and build relationships."— John C. Maxwell

And when you reinvest your dividends, continue to improve yourself, your habits, and your knowledge and pay them forward, life just becomes richer. And, richer.

“Giving reaps the greatest dividends."— Craig D. Lounsbrough

How are you investing your valuable resources? Your time, your attention, your thoughts?

“When we invest in active listening, the dividend is an expanded capacity for compassion."— Laurie Buchanan

Something to think about.

Journal Prompt

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A good question to ponder in your journal at the beginning and end of your day:

How can I provide value today?

How did I provide value today?

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Creative Coffee Chat

The year is still young! What do you want to create? Invest in your creativity and you will reap the dividends. :)

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I hope you have a great week filled with all kinds of dividends. And, kindness.

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Keep creating, abundantly,

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