Hot pink summer hope

And the power of cheering each other on

Hello friends and fellow humans,

What can I say about summer? I’m sitting in my favorite cozy armchair, gazing out the front window at the hot pink roses. The way they brightly hug the side of the house embodies hope. In Minnesota, we treat this season like it’s our last chance to live before the crushing winter descends. I appreciate that about a place, as if we’re all acutely aware of our mortality—as if winter represents a small death, which maybe it does. (If this sounds dramatic, come on over to Minneapolis in January.)

With everything growing and the sun shining, the hardest things feel more tolerable. It’s easier to access joy as a caregiver, even with the destructive politics of our country, including the recent legislation that enacts massive cuts in healthcare and support to people who need it most.

I am still hopeful (most of the time), despite the state of the world. Because of my daughter, Eden, who was born with a rare genetic deletion and lives with multiple disabilities, I have seen the best of humanity. When you have a kid on a feeding tube with severe autism, you see the full scope of beauty in others. To be clear, it’s not all sunny even though it’s July; like most of my fellow caregivers (and humans), I still get lonely and scared about the future and can feel shut-in. I’ve also been hurt by people who didn’t get it, but that’s a much smaller percentage of what I’ve encountered.

Yet through my girl, I have met countless generous humans who live from a place of care and love. A few weeks ago, Eden had an appointment with her pediatrician. As she entered the brightly lit waiting room, the front desk staff stopped what they were doing and cheered. I don’t mean quietly. They sang my daughter’s name with full-face smiles. These kind-hearted administrators understood that, with all Eden has endured medically, she could use the extra love. What is also true: we could all use the extra love.

Generous people make me grateful to be here in this imperfect world. Let’s do that for each other. Let’s cheer each other on when we walk in the door. Let’s offer each other a chance to belong, to be seen, especially while things are so unpredictable. And let’s also get to work changing the policies that are hurting millions of people.

Some things bringing me hope right now:

Elevate with Yung Pueblo (Substack)

I love this quote from the newsletter: “An underappreciated hard truth is that inner peace is less about boundaries and precisely designing your life with the right people and projects, and much more about having a perspective where you don’t attach yourself to every good and bad thing that happens.” I’m finding Yung Pueblo’s newest book, HOW TO LOVE BETTER, calming and insightful. It makes me want to be more intentional in my relationships and less emotionally reactive, which is good if you are parenting a teenager (or trying to be reasonable in any context).

ADHD IS AWESOME: A GUIDE TO (MOSTLY) THRIVING WITH ADHD by Kim and Penn Holderness.

I love a non-shaming resource like this one, and I also love a lot of people with ADHD. The book breaks down what ADHD is and how to live a good life anyway. It’s engaging, easy-to-read, color-coded, and highly practical.

Wiser than Me: Julia Gets Wise with Diane Von Furstenberg

This is a fascinating interview with podcast host Julia Louis-Dreyfus, which offers a hopeful look at aging. Von Furstenberg is such a resilient human, culture changer, and style-maker.

Thank you for reading. And when you encounter a hopeful resource (a podcast, article, book, or show), please send it my way; it might end up here.

With you on the hunt for hope,

Emma