HOPE, BELIEVE, FAITH (Trust), LOVE. What follows are a series of texts I sent out this week to different groups of family and friends. Why? Because I saw a need for it. I saw a need to talk about the meaning of those words….not in an essay form but in a “message from a familymember/friend” form. From a person who cares.

Each day I felt compelled and actually “called” to write personal messages to them. Why those particular familymembers/friends? Family – because I can never connect enough with family and my family is very important to me. Friends…not sure. Maybe those are the ones I could find their phone numbers easiest? Maybe some because I work closely with them? Maybe some because I haven’t seen them for a long time (way too-o-o-o long)? I have other friends who definitely fall within those descriptive questions that I inadvertently left out and wish I would have included them. Another time perhaps.

What I know is that there are times when everyone needs to be encouraged. There are times when we all need to be lifted up and inspired. I can do that for others. I especially want to do that for “Women in the Workforce” and “Potential Women in the Workforce”. (This is why I limited my texts to the female gender.) I can only do what I can do and that’s not everything I want to do or have the time to do or even have the skills to do. I am learning to be okay with that in order to keep going forward in my own journey.

I learned a lot sending these texts. I learned that not everyone in my family has everyone’s phone number and they were very excited to match the text numbers with the names who owned them. I learned that texts can be overwhelming to some – even from a good friend like me! I learned that a high school friend who lived halfway across the United States but who had come to visit me in California less than 2 years ago had recently passed away from cancer. I learned that not all of my friends were aware of my daughter’s recent passing from cancer in May. I learned that staying connected takes effort and is worth it.

So – I wrote four days of text messages to different “Women and Potential Women in the Workforce” this week. The basics of the texts are included below. I hope you are encouraged and feel inspired to create and connect, going forward in whatever journey you choose.

HOPE. Today is about HOPE. Remember how you felt on your first day on the job…any job. Excited, scared, enthusiastic – like anything was possible in this new thing you were starting. Well, today I hope every female person, young, old, experienced or just starting out – looks at today and sees and knows they too can do anything as long as they keep trying. One day at a time. One foot in front of the other and soon THEIR footprints will take them in the direction they want to go – straight to their very own goal. I hope for respect, civility, integrity and peace for all.

BELIEVE. For today…sit…think…and BELIEVE. Just choose one thing or person in which to BELIEVE. Do that to start your day. In the chaos of uncertainty many are feeling today, if nothing else – BELIEVE in yourself. You can and do make a difference. With the choices each of us make every day, make them count. Choose peace. Choose calm. Choose truth. Choose integrity and patience. Choose to stay in the game. Choose to reach out – to family, to old friends, to new friends, to those who need friends. BELIEVE in YOUR IMPORTANCE in making everything better.

FAITH….is a word often associated with a religion, God, Buddha, deity or some higher power. I like to think of it as trust or confidence in someone or something. I’ve been thinking of FAITH a lot this week…and I’ve been thinking of all of you. I have FAITH in each of you – in what you do every day, in what and how you think every day and generally in who you are. I have FAITH that each of us will do our best with what we know at the time we do it; that each of us will continue to strive to know more and do better each and every day. Having FAITH allows me to continue my day and my life. Faith makes me happy.

LOVE. As this historic week comes to a close – I think that most people are ready to unplug, rest and relax. I HOPE, BELIEVE and have FAITH that LOVE will prevail as we journey forward into what will be a country based in LOVE rather than fear.

Ever since my daughter Sara died of breast cancer in May – and in the midst of all the COVID (and election) issues – it has become clear to me that people need people (at least that is true for me) and people need encouragement. I BELIEVE it is true for children in classrooms and for adults in the workforce (especially women) – there is nothing that replaces human care and connection. So please feel free to keep in touch! For today, I wish YOU much LOVE.

Email: becky@beckykeller.com