beBetter 

This Christmas and holiday season, I wanted to share one of my favorite songs for celebrating Christmas. In December each year, millions of people celebrate religious and spiritually significant holidays, and universally, humankind continues to look for morally good virtues to live by and love is central to all of them.

As I push the spout down on my giant bottle of Aveda Rosemary Mint shampoo, a big generous blob of shampoo runs into my hand. Now I know this is more shampoo than I need for this thinning hair of mine, but something always prevents me from stopping with just a half push. I love this shampoo — its smell is incredible and I believe it gives my hair a little more body. 

CeCe is out for a few hours running errands (shopping, I suspect) and I am staring at three strands of chimes that I promised to hang under our porte-cochère. I can see they are very breakable, long and must be positioned where they don’t ring constantly but do ring. I promised to get this done but I admit, I hate these home projects and occasionally tear up more than I fix.  

What a painful blog to write and CeCe will be all over this after she reads it. I had just launched my boat into some rough water as three guys watched from the boat ramp. “You going out in this rough water?” they asked. “Yes, I’m going to the north end to wade so I won’t have to deal with the wind and the boat.” Turning the boat into the wind, hitting those first two big waves, my ego got the best of me. I grabbed my Ole Miss cap and swung it around like a cowboy riding a bucking bull, clearly showing out for the guys on the bank.

I know I have spun a head or two as I shared with friends and business associates that I love them. Several years ago, when I first heard John O’Leary close his keynote speech at the World Leaders Conference, I realized that I did not say "I love you" enough. John has closed every keynote I’ve heard with “I love you and there’s not really anything you can do about it.” John has an inspirational story. His book On Fire is incredible (I gave it to all of our kids and my parents) and his commitment to love — to truly love others — has inspired me to share my love more openly.

Here we go again as I have taken being right too far, and I’m certainly not without fault in this communication snafu. It started as I got home early and CeCe was finishing up outside with some yard work. We sat down for a moment and both agreed we wanted to take Oliver (our Yorkie puppy) for a walk.  

As I walk into the living room, CeCe is in her chair, scanning Facebook or shopping on her phone and my entry goes pretty much unnoticed. Well, let’s be transparent — totally unnoticed. I admit, it’s a real downer as I was hoping that my arrival might peak the slightest bit of excitement, joy, happy greeting or at least an expression of curiosity. Don’t we all look for that recognition and acceptance from our close family and friends?  

Today, February 3, CeCe and I celebrate our 20th anniversary. Hopefully, and Lord willing, as you read this, we are on the beach checking off one of our “bucket list” destinations in St. Lucia. I’ve just finished writing CeCe’s anniversary card. Now I could share the card’s contents with you, but that would be the end of my beBetter blog and ME! CeCe is such a great sport to provide me the liberty to share some of her experiences, both good and bad, so I want to be careful and not get too loose with the stories. 

There are two comments in the card that I think could help each of us to #beEvenBetter.  

CeCe has asked me to run a quick errand for our Aunt Kate, who lives in an independent living facility close to our home. Aunt Kate is in her early 80s and CeCe is her primary caregiver. Today, I’m on the way to pick up a contact to replace the one that she lost.  

The time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger because there was no guest room available for them. Luke 2:6-7

In my Christian faith, this is why we celebrate Christmas. This is the greatest Christmas gift we will ever receive — God’s son, Jesus. God has never created a person He doesn’t love. It’s this love from  creation to now that we all need as we close out a disruptive 2020 and continue to face new challenges.

In December each year, millions of people celebrate religious and spiritually significant holidays, and universally, humankind continues to look for morally good virtues to live by and love is central to all of them.

For me, celebrating the birth of Jesus and the love of God helps put 2020 in perspective and prepares me for whatever 2021 has in store.

Here’s my prayer for you, your family and this Christmas celebration.

Lord, please grant us the grace to live with love for each other. May our Christmas and holiday celebrations start and end with a celebration of kindness and creative loving for each other. Please provide us the wisdom, safety and opportunity to see and visit with our loved ones. Thank You for the greatest Christmas gift of all. Amen.

I hope you and your family have a very Merry Christmas and a happy holiday season.

Growing up in Batesville, MS, I wish I had a dime for every time Mom told Mike and me no fighting in this house. We loved each other and still do, but we constantly fought as youngsters. We are 3.5 years apart and like a typical little brother — he had to do everything I did. This led to lots of conflict and since we shared a bedroom, lots of scuffles in the house. Mom was constantly breaking us up and at times she would spank us for being so disruptive (usually after several warnings). Thank goodness she did not “spare the rod” as we were two hard-headed boys. We quickly learned when we were approaching the point of no return.

Having the intent for HORNE and myself to make a difference during this time of social unrest, I wanted to share my prayer with you. Only with an intentional sense of belonging that provides each of us the safe place to share will we make the progress we all desire. It’s not one huge step. It’s lots of small steps, prayers and conversations every day that will turn the tide on individual and systemic racism. Together we can #beEvenBetter every day. Let’s not only pray together—let’s make progress together. 

In this time of social unrest, I’ve pondered what to say to our team, what to say to you, and I choose to err on the side of “not getting it entirely right” rather than remaining silent. Racism is a problem that we continue to struggle with as a nation. And it’s everyone’s problem. Each of us are also part of the solution.