"Courage is contagious. When a brave man (or woman) takes a stand, the spines of others are stiffened." - Billy Graham                                                                                 

Courage. Let's catch it and spread it. Compassion too.

Let's stiffen our spines and soften our hearts. Even if it seems very challenging at times, we really can be both brave and kind. Committed to love and hope too. 

Always,
Charlene

PS - A correction: in yesterday's touchstone I incorrectly named our neighborhood woodpecker as a red bellied woodpecker. It was most likely a ladder-backed woodpecker or the Arizona woodpecker. Regardless of the particular species, it was an amazingly helpful bird that I continue to appreciate 20 years after he visited our backyard in Phoenix, Arizona.