When I was at Anne's home, I hardly ever had my notebook with me. We talked and talked and talked and it felt like talking to a hug. Not that she's super mushy or over-sweet, but just our conversations were comforting and calming. And challenging, but that might only be an attribute of hugs for a tall, non-physical-touch-oriented human like me. Maybe the analogy breaks down at a certain point.
I got to hear Anne's beliefs through conversation, but I also got to see them in action. Maybe it was because she's a counselor, so getting to the good stuff is kind of her thing. Maybe it's because she had kids running all over the house, so I got to watch her as she navigated summertime with four kiddos around. One thing I heard her say multiple times—to her husband or kids or to me—was "What would you like to see happen?" I loved this question, and it was so of Anne. It was efficient, probing what needed to get done; it was generous, asking how she could contribute; and it was kind, volunteering herself before anyone asked. I loved that question, because it was practical. So much of real, mundane life is errands and to-dos, and Anne ensured with this gentle, accurate question that her list and the lists of those around her would be heard and accomplished.
excuse me for not cropping this but I am sleepy
But another way I saw Anne's gentleness and wisdom so strongly, and the way it stood out most to me, was in the way her kids talked to her. She went into her boys' room at one point as she was cleaning around the house. I was in the kitchen, but I heard her 18-year-old son say, "No, mom. Don't clean that; it's not your responsibility. I'll do it." He said that! Seriously. Like full sentences and everything. Then he told her at what point in his day he planned to get it finished, and she went on cleaning around the house. I was rly excited by the killer communication, then I was rly endeared that there was a kid out there who actually talked to his mom like then, then I was rly aware that it was only because of 18 years of intentional, value-assigning communication from the parents.
More on Anne later, of course, as with all my shadows, but I wanted to give a sweet bit now before I toss some Seattle pics up and move on to writing about Cali!
Also, the summer shadow Insta got updated today! So sorry if it flooded your feed cause I got behind, but if you don't follow it, go check it out! Belle is killin the edit game for me bc I am intentionally a grandma with Insta, & I'll probably ask Casey to help me write captions tomorrow ha. @thesummershadow yayyyyy (also lots of old charlie pics if you're into my secret past lolllll jokes).
