To be honest, Ted's book is breath taking. I think you all know I tend to be on the modest side (for better or worse) so doing a promo is a little strange. But this book is filled with gems that I find gobsmacking - my favorite word from the folks over in the UK.
But here is a quote that touches my heart:
If you are not used to finding stillness, that may prove a growing edge. In some families and cultures, silence gets employed as a restriction. Children should be seen and not heard. You'll speak when spoken to. That kind of tone. Or. loved ones stop talking as a punishment.: silence becomes a shut
out or abandonment. In other settings, silence can seem dangerous or emotionally risky. If I quiet the constant whirling of my life, I'll notice the quieter voices of vulnerability, sadness, longing or anger that I carry within - and that will feel even more disturbing. In any of those cases, silence or stillness can carry a negative association.
How do I really speak of the tenderness I feel that my own son would write something so deep. Or that David serves all of you with such kindness and graciousness. He is not paid for running the store. It is a gift of service. And that Jen is the living essence of what her school was set up to be. There she
is, living the vision of the founder 80 years later. Where do we have a place to speak of our joys, and our pride in our children, our grandchildren. Oh, lot's to think about.
