O Sole Mio SUNdays — I Need YOUR Stories!

O Sole Mio means “My Sun” in Italian.  It’s also now become the title of my new project on this blog: Ole Sole Mio SUNdays.  Here’s the background on the new project – and its premise.

Yesterday I received a card from my mom’s best friend – Judy Lenz (and her husband Don).  They live in Texas and have the biggest hearts in the world.  They do say that everything is bigger than normal in Texas.  The Lenz’s have proved that to be true.  In her card, Judy wrote some amazing things.  I have re-read a couple of sentences more than a dozen times in the last day or so.  Here’s what Judy wrote:

“You are such a strong, loving, and beautiful young lady now given the ‘opportunity’ to fight yet another battle.  I know what you’re thinking, Kim, ‘I could do without this particular opportunity’, but without sounding too cliche, I do believe that God has a plan for each and every one of us — and when He needed ’someone special’ to help fight for the cause — God wanted a strong-minded, sweet-spirited, beautiful individual, so of course He picked you.”

I’ve been trying to process Judy’s kind and inspirational words.  They come from a strong woman herself (and, yes, she’s even a redhead)!  I agree this is an “opportunity”, so I’ve been spending today trying to figure out how to maximize the opportunity. How to be more, how to do more with it.  This blog is definitely a start, but so far, it’s really only been about me.

There are so many stories out there.  So many people have faced both Sunshine and Moonlight in their lives.  No, not all of them have M.S.  People face the challenges of so many diseases.  They face discrimination, stratification, class struggles, domestic violence, race struggles, and challenges unique to each individual person.  It’s time to find and share those stories — stories of people who faced their own Moonlights and found their own inspirations and opportunities from their battles.

So, beginning next Sunday, and hopefully each Sunday after, I will devote my blog to YOUR stories.  What are the rules? There really aren’t any.  I don’t care if your story is long or short.  It doesn’t matter what your Moonlight situation was — whether M.S.- related or something else.  Submit your stories to me and I’ll post them here.  A lot of folks read this blog, so please let me know if you’d like your email address included with your story.  Send along a photo if you’d like and I’ll post it, too.  

The only request I have is that you make a connection for my readers, explaining how your Moonlight inspired you.  Describe the opportunities and the gifts you received from your Moonlight times and find a positive side to your story.  Not everyone likes to talk about themselves, so if you have story about a loved one, a friend, someone who inspired you, send me their stories, too.  I’m hoping that my inspiration for this new project — Judy — will submit her story as well.  She’s had her own set of ongoing Moonlight days and nights and has dealt with each with grace and dignity.

Click here to send Kim YOUR story! And, then be sure to visit Sunshine and Moonlight each Sunday for Ole Sole Mio SUNdays!