339 Comments
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Julie Lynn's avatar

Dear Andrea,

Your poem hit my inbox this morning. We don't know each other, though I feel like I know you, because I have been following and reading your heart-stopping, beautiful words for a while now. I wanted you to know that your poem is going to make me work harder to take serious note of the things I love, too. I lost my home in the Palisades fire on January 7. It took so much from me and from so many people I love, but the things on your list remind me of all the things (I am tyring to hold onto this) that matter most. Thank you. I will be sharing your words with others. You have made a difference in the life of this stranger- who thanks you for being a friend.

Julie

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Sally Jordan's avatar

I’m so sorry that happened to you, Julie.

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Stang Mom's avatar

I love that you’re still able to find the beauty in poetry even though you’ve lost your home. I hope you can find joy in rebuilding and discovering more things to love.

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Mary Jo Putrow's avatar

I love that I found your poetry before my time on this earth is up. I love that I now have another reason to live past my expiration date… my hope is to be here long enough to see your movie, Come See Me in the Good Light

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Erika's avatar

I love that I took the time to read this, in the middle of a busy day, hungry and tired with someone urgently calling my name.

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Nona Olivia's avatar

I love that reading what you love cleared away all of my worry and fear, at least for a little while

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N S's avatar

Same here!

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Holly Lerski's avatar

I am loving you. You are a gift to us all, and I wish I was a cow and you were my best friend ;-)

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Holly's avatar

Right?! How cool is it that cows have best friends??!!!!!

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Sarah Moore's avatar

I love you, that you wrote this, that this made me smile

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DJ Morell's avatar

Ahhhhh, I love that I read this while having my first cup of coffee looking out at the fir covered mountains, in the brief sunshine between the showers. Bless you and the wonder of words.

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Hethre W's avatar

I love imagining the firs as the fur of the mountains!

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Yeshe's avatar

Exactly

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Jeannie Ewing's avatar

Andrea,

My daughter Sarah, who was born with a rare genetic condition called Apert syndrome, wanted to say this to you today:

"You are beautiful the way you are. I love that you love people with disabilities. My grandparents live in Colorado. Do you like books? I love books: Diary of a Wimpy Kid and The Babysitters Club. I know how it feels to be in the hospital a lot. I've had my fingers separated. I think you are brave, and I hope you have a good day. Love, Sarah."

P.S. Sarah asked me if she could write you a letter and send it, but I told her I didn't think so, so she asked me to type this message on your comment section instead.

Sending you love!

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Laura Sanchez's avatar

I can perfectly understand your daughter Sarah, Jeannie! Love for both of you ❤

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Jeannie Ewing's avatar

Aw, I am so glad to hear that, Laura. Thanks for commenting on her little note to Andrea.

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Mar 13
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Jeannie Ewing's avatar

Danielle, Sarah is an incredible young lady! She will be 12 on Sunday. She has unintentionally made it her mission to spread love and kindness through notes of encouragement to a lot of people. I post videos of her messages on my Substack quite often, because it gives her self-confidence and helps her grow her social skills.

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Linda Pierce's avatar

I love, “I must abandon every poem for every pink sky.”

I can’t express how hard that hit me and how it filled me with the delight of pure perfect truth.

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Linda Doherty's avatar

How you continue to take my breath away with each and every treasure that is your writing..thank you beautiful profound sister for sharing your wealth with us.

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Holly's avatar

This.

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Francesca's avatar

Lovely! And what a great reminder that whenever we feel stuck in our writing - there is always a list of things we love, just waiting to be collected beneath our pen. Thank you!!

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Kendall Lamb's avatar

I love that we can whistle on both an inhale and an exhale. I love pinecones dropping on tin roofs. I love sitting down in the shower with my knees tucked into my chest. I love when grumpy people are surprised by kindness. I love eye contact with wild things, my daughter most of all.

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Hethre W's avatar

If there were a specific onomatopoeia word for the sound of a pine cone dropping on a tin roof... What would it be?

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Lisette Austin's avatar

❤️

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PSMHopkins's avatar

This eased my heart. You don't even know. I took a deep breath.

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Erin Gately's avatar

I love this poem. I love my cats and my kids and the fact that it rained last night but it is not raining now. I love that I found a bunch of sugar snap peas that I purchased to plant from many different years gone by and I love that I will mix them up and plant them willy-nilly in the garden and hope a few may be coaxed to grow.

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Allen Rose's avatar

Just got the quote tattooed on me yesterday: “I love you, I’m glad I exist.” From the poem The Orange by Wendy Cope. Feels very pertinent to your messages today🍊💛

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Holly's avatar

The sweetness and the tart of those words in that order. 😋

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Laura Holway's avatar

I love that poem! What a beautiful choice for a tattoo.

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Dan's avatar

What a beautiful gift to so many who need it badly in these dark days I LOVE it

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Caitlin Flood's avatar

Butterfly pep talks to depressed caterpillars for the win! I Love love love that line

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Julie Burchstead's avatar

I love the way this made me feel, how your love spilled over and warmed me too, and my heart reached to all that I love..including your words and then the heartbreaking wakeup of this line, "I love how much longer this list would be if the sunset were not, in this very second, calling me." Oh Andrea. And I have but just found your tender and brave voice in this world that so needs it.

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