This week’s post is part of the Jon Acuff Start Experiment. We receive homework every day, and today’s assignment was to write our Time magazine article. This is mine!
We met in a tiny coffee shop in Florence, AL. There was nothing significant about it, except that every customer was treated with the same warmth. Song walked in wearing a simple pair of blue jeans and a comfortable fitted tee. She stepped up to the counter and ordered a decaf coffee black. I expected an easy interview because I could tell she wasn’t going to hold anything back. What you see with her is what you get.
“I have always sort of told it how it is when it comes to my struggles,” she said. “It may not be the best approach because that type of honesty can intimidate people. I’ve learned how to curb that some, but I refuse to curb it anymore. I want to surround myself with people who appreciate honesty and want to be real. I don’t have to share everything with everyone I meet. But the circle of friends I surround myself with welcome my honesty. They believe in me and encourage me. That means a lot to me because I enjoy encouraging others. I told myself once that if I could find a job where I could get paid just to encourage people, that would be my dream job.
“The funny thing was, I was already doing something I enjoyed. I didn’t want to give up that job. I decided, instead, to encourage others because it’s who I am and what I love. I made a vow to just be the best cheerleader I could for everyone that crossed my path. After reading David Dunn’s Try Giving Yourself Away, I knew that it would only bless my life and the life of others. Sure, sometimes people are put off by my words, but I would rather say something kind and thoughtful than to regret saying nothing.
“I hope that my legacy lives on. I hope that others will continue to adopt this mindset. A nation and world full of encouragers can’t be a bad thing. We certainly see what a nation of cynics and Eeyore’s can do. I used to be the best Eeyore of them all. Now, I’m a Tigger.”
I thanked Song for her time, and she left me with one final thought, “You’re future is dependent on your belief in yourself. I’m here to help you believe in yourself if you need it. Enjoy the future. I hope to read about it soon!”
Love the perspective. You really are a great writer.