UNSTOPPABLE WOMAN ALERT: Last night I got the pleasure of hanging out with my 2nd cousin Scott’s Mother-in-Law… But first, let me set the stage: I speak 0 Spanish. My cousin’s Mother-in-Law speaks 0 English.
But with some creative body language, facial expressions, and some translating help, I discovered the *DIAMOND* within the quiet woman sitting beside me.
As the night went on, she shared her journals with me – books she writes in EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. But get this = She does this with the sole intention of leaving these as a legacy to her children, grandchildren, etc. These are no “NORMAL” diaries — she shares intimate details of: what’s most important to her on her spiritual path; the people she gleans inspiration from; the kind of person she strives to be each day; the morals that she holds most dear; the way she strives to live in the world; how she desires to love those around her… And these pages go on… and on… and on… and ON!!!
The books are covered with art… with quotes from Gandhi. They are as priceless as the woman writing in them…
I stepped away to talk with others in the kitchen, and turned to catch a glimpse of her opening up one of her journals, and beginning to write down a new inspiration that had just swept her heart away (hopefully not inspired by the loud, goofy red-head in the room!?) — and written in the most beautiful, mindful handwriting you may have ever seen in your life! (That’s when I captured this photo.)
Mind you: This woman raised 7 boys, and 1 girl in a teensy-weensy town in Mexico: hand-washing clothes for 8 children. Hand-making tortillas for 8 hungry men (and one hungry daughter!) But she told me that after working from sun-up to sun-down, she would steal away some time for herself… to reflect on life, and write in her journals each night. And now that her children are all grown up, she writes as often as she likes – and enjoys all the “self-care” and reflection-time her heart desires…
WHERE IN THE WORLD did all this deep, profound wisdom come from — when she grew up removed from everything we take for granted today? — I think it was inside her all along. And she was brave enough to let that wisdom bubble up within her…
It would be SO easy to have missed out on getting to know this woman… While she is strong, and solid and unshakeable… she is also extremely humble. Willing to sit back and watch. Let others take center stage…
But in my book: if anyone deserves to take center-stage, it’s THIS Unstoppable woman!!!! By the end of the night she was giggling at all the silly faces we made while we were talking – even though she didn’t have a CLUE what was being said. And she graciously hugged and kissed me, and offered her home to me – any time I was breezing through her tiny town in Mexico… (I LIVE for moments like these!)
*From left to right: Me with my 2nd cousin Scott’s wife, Luz, her amazing mother (also named Luz) and my 1st cousin Kim.
So never pass up the opportunity to dive deep into the strangers all around you: You just may be surprised by what you discover! And NEVER miss out on an opportunity to be inspired by your fellow humans: Everyone has so many inspiring tales that can help add some wind beneath your own unstoppable wings…
Here’s to journaling, body-language, hand-made tortillas, and the love that can flow between people from 2 different worlds…
Whenever you think that life sucks bigtime, it’s good to remember moments like these…
GO, UNSTOPPABLE MOM-IN-LAW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
