A living, breathing story...

I've been following and supporting To Write Love On Her Arms(TWLOHA) since early 2006 when I saw Anberlin in concert and noticed their bass player was wearing one of their T-Shirts. At the time I thought it was just a band but liked the sound of it so I determined I would look them up when I got home. Wasn't I surprised to learn that they were not a band at all but something altogether new. What started as a small group of people helping a friend and telling that story has since turned into an international movement with the potential of reaching millions. The thing that has always struck a chord with me is the way TWLOHA bridges the stories of peoples' lives together and proclaims to everyone "you are not alone. your story is important and we are here to share in it with you." It doesn't matter who you are or where you've been, you have a story to tell and there are people out there that want to hear it and want to share theirs with you as well and with it - Hope.

There is hope. There is a story out there that you and I are living right now that can be an inspiration to someone...if we are willing to tell it. I'll be honest with you...I don't have a lot of answers most of the time. I make choices that I sometimes wind up wishing I could somehow find a magic "undo" button for...days that I wish were done on an etch-a-sketch so I could shake it and clear it and pretend like it never happened. It happens to everyone. that's part of living and part of the story. I know I may be oversimplifying some of the effects our choices have, but that's an altogether different and lengthy conversation...and not really the point I'm trying to make.

We seem to have this tendency to believe that our lives are not nearly as exciting or as important as those we see around us...or the ones we read about in the magazines or watch on TV. True, some people might go the complete opposite direction and think the world revolves around them and them only, but what I seem to see the most in people I meet or get to know is this minimization of themselves...sometimes to the point where they don't think that they matter to anyone and I think that's what gets to me the most...it tugs at me....because everyone matters, every single one of us. Our stories need to be heard and shared...all our joy and laughter and tears and pain....we need the connection....we need to know that we are not alone in our experiences. The only way for that to really happen is for us to start sharing our story...and sharing in the stories of those around us.

for more information on TWLOHA or to give your support/get involved go here: http://www.twloha.com

See you where the sidewalk ends...