A great pleasure of getting older is observing what people say and do with a little more insight and context.
Welcome to the 104th episode of Giving Back Insights! Insights are our solo show to celebrate how our guests and their charities serve others, explore actions each of can take to make a difference in people’s lives and connect.
Today we’re talking about Love Notes! Enjoy today’s episode and keep your comments and feedback coming.
Tweet ThisKey Takeaways:
There’s a single text from my brother Tom on today’s cover. It says, “Hey BabyBro…The fog has rolled in up here so drive careful on your way up in the morning” He sent that to me the night before I went to have breakfast with him When tule fog rolls in, visibility can be cut to yards and driving is hazardous.
A great pleasure of getting older is observing what people say and do with a little more insight and context. Someone else may not know it, but that’s a love note from him. Noticing something happening, thinking about the possible impact, and sharing that with me to keep me safe.
After being separated for over 20 years, his note carries deeper meaning for me than if we had always been around each other. As his younger brother, I might feel a little irritated that he thinks he knows best and I wouldn’t see that on my own. Maybe even snap at him, in text or voice. Seeing Tom’s note even a few days later, my heart fills with recognition of what it means and I smile.
Despite best intentions, love notes can lead to hurt feelings and misunderstanding. My wife and I got into a bit of a dustup over a compliment I sent her. I noticed that she didn’t respond after a day and when I mentioned that, she said she didn’t know how to respond. Wow. I was feeling some heartache, and avoiding her for several days made the situation worse.
Needless to say, there’s more there than meets the eye, and we can choose to look at what’s happening openly and address it together, or we can ignore it and most likely something similar will happen again, probably with stronger feelings on both sides. Knowing that now, it’s probably a good idea to talk about the “I appreciate you” cards I wrote her every day for a year. Didn’t hear a peep from her about those, either.
I’ve also taken to including notes with my kids’ lunches and snacks when I get them ready for school. That includes the big one who’s 19. Sometimes I write a quote I find for them, sometimes it’s “Good luck” on a test or an event. I write them for my wife when I make her lunch, too, which is kind of funny now that I think of it. I hope they know these are also love notes, no strings attached. That’s the best kind of love, in my opinion.
In the reality that I call my life, I see and receive love notes all the time and it sure feels good. It’s simply a matter of keeping my eyes and my heart open. What’s a love note you’ve received recently?
Remember: Always err on the side of love & kindness.
Love & Gratitude,
Rob
