We love you Andrea 🤍 My friend told me recently that honesty is a kind of hope. It Is not the cheap hope that we too often confuse with optimism, but the true, raw hope.
Thank you for your willingness to let us peek inside the door of your hardest winter. We all like to share our painted doors once we find the way to make them beautiful, but it is the cracks (or the peek inside) where we find the light - unconditional love, intimacy, a willingness to be with life just as it is with awe and gratitude. You are a light for me as I also live with metastatic cancer in my lungs and I appreciate you writing more than you can know. May your body and heart and mind be at ease today, and may you continue to feel and express the joy in being alive.
I appreciate your strength in battling cancer. I’m recovering from a stroke of one year ago, it’s been an uphill climb, so much has changed, but mostly me! I imagine you feel that way too. Sending you hugs 🫂 and strength. ❤️
I always gasp a little in excitement when I see there’s a new piece by you. I’m currently sitting in the hospital with my daughter and this couldn’t have come at a better time. I think about the butterflies giving pep talks to depressed caterpillars from your last piece on a regular basis. I can’t wait to see your documentary out here in Germany- at the very least on Apple+. Please keep sending out your messages in bottles, they are so cherished and so needed.❤️
Andrea, I'm writing with tears in my eyes, but thank you for sharing this. I missed you. I knew you must be having a hard time. I woke up in so much pain this morning, a 10 on that stupid smiley-face scale, but it is easing now. Even in your deepest pain, you brighten our lives. Let us be thankful for that one bold tulip.
I can't tell you how deeply this resonated with me. I am so grateful that you chose to share from the heart of the pain rather than feel you had to wait until you were "better." (I hate the word better). I'm also in the messy middle of a couple of painful life things and I too have hesitated to write. This may be just to nudge I need to reconnect. Sending love. PS - my street is lined with crabapple trees (we call them the pink pom-pom trees) and the ground dusted with pink snow. They are my absolute favorite thing, every year.
You have the power whereby even from a million miles away reading you feels like being there with you. Mine are just one more pair of open arms that embrace you, that each added embrace will help keep you steady and your head up. ❤️
What a beautiful person you are. And the way you weave words together is nothing short of amazing. Much love to you, your parents, and all those in the question with you 💛
I recently discovered a poem I wrote after Theresa & I met you at UGA years ago.Not the nervousness of Eddie's Attic, but from Yellow Bird. I was so happy to discover that. I remember hearing a first whole set of your poems and what a delight that was after snippets in slam.
I remember what stood out the most was the air you took between lines and words, the rush of it coming out and the song of those breaths making their own song & poems.
~I found it a week after seeing the documentary at Atlanta Film Fest & how lovely it was to have so many high school teachers there supporting the directors. *THE FOOTAGE OF THE SHOWS* what memories, knowing we shared so many spaces.
~I think now with marvel at how much our bodies have survived, hurtling as the Earth spins.
~I am so happy you are alive to receive all these glimmers & feel love wash back to you.
I was thinking of you yesterday, out of nowhere. I looked back on dates of previous posts, and I knew you must be hurting. I'm glad you're here to share the hard times, too. The messy middle is also beautiful.
My current season is focused on coaxing another one of my kids to keep trying life. We've got a generational urge to leave on my mom's side, and it's so hard to watch them be so hard on themselves for mistakes that anybody can make. Hope is elusive thing when rejection sensitivity is involved.
Thank you so much for showing up. I have been worrying about you, wondering about you. You shine light in dark places, and for that I am so grateful for you. I hope that sharing your pain alleviates it some. Thank you for being and for sharing you.
i remember a wise soul once saying “even when the truth isn’t hopeful, the telling of it is.” and that changed everything for me. 🫂
❤️
That is beautiful.
We love you Andrea 🤍 My friend told me recently that honesty is a kind of hope. It Is not the cheap hope that we too often confuse with optimism, but the true, raw hope.
❤️
And …”hope is a muscle.”
-Krista Tippett
What a wonderful thing to say ‘hope is a muscle’ I love that 🌸
Thank you for your willingness to let us peek inside the door of your hardest winter. We all like to share our painted doors once we find the way to make them beautiful, but it is the cracks (or the peek inside) where we find the light - unconditional love, intimacy, a willingness to be with life just as it is with awe and gratitude. You are a light for me as I also live with metastatic cancer in my lungs and I appreciate you writing more than you can know. May your body and heart and mind be at ease today, and may you continue to feel and express the joy in being alive.
❤️❤️❤️ so much love to you.
I appreciate your strength in battling cancer. I’m recovering from a stroke of one year ago, it’s been an uphill climb, so much has changed, but mostly me! I imagine you feel that way too. Sending you hugs 🫂 and strength. ❤️
I always gasp a little in excitement when I see there’s a new piece by you. I’m currently sitting in the hospital with my daughter and this couldn’t have come at a better time. I think about the butterflies giving pep talks to depressed caterpillars from your last piece on a regular basis. I can’t wait to see your documentary out here in Germany- at the very least on Apple+. Please keep sending out your messages in bottles, they are so cherished and so needed.❤️
I will remember the butterflies giving the caterpillars pep talks, thank you! 🙏 a
I was noticing your absence, the silence, and missing you. You are so beloved to us. Deep bow of appreciation and regard.
❤️
I was missing her, too.
Andrea, I'm writing with tears in my eyes, but thank you for sharing this. I missed you. I knew you must be having a hard time. I woke up in so much pain this morning, a 10 on that stupid smiley-face scale, but it is easing now. Even in your deepest pain, you brighten our lives. Let us be thankful for that one bold tulip.
Love to you. ❤️
I can't tell you how deeply this resonated with me. I am so grateful that you chose to share from the heart of the pain rather than feel you had to wait until you were "better." (I hate the word better). I'm also in the messy middle of a couple of painful life things and I too have hesitated to write. This may be just to nudge I need to reconnect. Sending love. PS - my street is lined with crabapple trees (we call them the pink pom-pom trees) and the ground dusted with pink snow. They are my absolute favorite thing, every year.
Here's a poem for you dear one:
The Dance
Magnolia style
Tonight the magnolias
Stand in still rows
Down our street
In the dark
Breathing the night air.
Their thin brown legs
Reach to Earth as if
On tiptoes.
In between the light
from the cars
They hold up their pink skirts
And twirl in the starlight.
❤️
You have the power whereby even from a million miles away reading you feels like being there with you. Mine are just one more pair of open arms that embrace you, that each added embrace will help keep you steady and your head up. ❤️
❤️
What a beautiful person you are. And the way you weave words together is nothing short of amazing. Much love to you, your parents, and all those in the question with you 💛
❤️
I am eternally grateful for you and the truth you share with all of us. I’ll take truth in the messy middle all day, every day 🩵🩵
Congratulations on Come See Me In The Good Light!! I can’t wait to see it 😍
So much love to you, Andrea!
❤️❤️❤️
In the absence of information, we tell ourselves stories, which can be harder than the truth. All the best to you this season.
You are cherished and loved.❤️
Hi Friend,
I recently discovered a poem I wrote after Theresa & I met you at UGA years ago.Not the nervousness of Eddie's Attic, but from Yellow Bird. I was so happy to discover that. I remember hearing a first whole set of your poems and what a delight that was after snippets in slam.
I remember what stood out the most was the air you took between lines and words, the rush of it coming out and the song of those breaths making their own song & poems.
~I found it a week after seeing the documentary at Atlanta Film Fest & how lovely it was to have so many high school teachers there supporting the directors. *THE FOOTAGE OF THE SHOWS* what memories, knowing we shared so many spaces.
~I think now with marvel at how much our bodies have survived, hurtling as the Earth spins.
~I am so happy you are alive to receive all these glimmers & feel love wash back to you.
<3 KG
I love you so much. Thank you friend.
I was thinking of you yesterday, out of nowhere. I looked back on dates of previous posts, and I knew you must be hurting. I'm glad you're here to share the hard times, too. The messy middle is also beautiful.
My current season is focused on coaxing another one of my kids to keep trying life. We've got a generational urge to leave on my mom's side, and it's so hard to watch them be so hard on themselves for mistakes that anybody can make. Hope is elusive thing when rejection sensitivity is involved.
Love to you and yours. Thank you for sharing your truth. ❤️
Thank you so much for showing up. I have been worrying about you, wondering about you. You shine light in dark places, and for that I am so grateful for you. I hope that sharing your pain alleviates it some. Thank you for being and for sharing you.
❤️
Sending you love and light. Your words mean so much to so many.
I needed this today. Thank you for always bringing me back to truth.