You shine brighter than you know

Hello, friend!

I’ve been working on a doodle while traveling this week because I went to speak at the Library of Congress and then at the National Book Festival. I texted my sister from the LOC greenroom that I was feeling very unworthy because I was sitting in the same chair that Dolly had once sat in and then I clarified that I was talking about Dolly Parton, not Dolly Madison and she was like, “Duh. Dolly Parton for life.”

I hadn’t found the words for the doodle but when I drew it I was thinking about how hard it is to pull yourself out of the darkness and I figured that I would eventually find the right words, but I just saw that Dolly Parton had passed. I know a lot of people will feel her loss the way I do so I shared this on threads:

And then I found the words for my doodle.

“Some light a candle in the dark, but others choose to be one.”

You may not know it, but you shine for others in ways you will never see.

Keep shining.

PS. Sorry this doodle is messy and even more imperfect than normal. Turns out turbulence isn’t good for anxiety or drawing straight lines.

Love you,

me