I like this picture that we came up with.  “Styles That Spread Smiles”.  My husband constantly comments on my abundance of “EQ” or Emotional Quotient/Intelligent.  As such I am an extraordinary empath.  I take to heart the wrongs, the inequities, the unfairness in the world.  I can find myself drowning in the inhumanity showcased on media outlets these days.  I guess intelligence in some area is better than no intelligence at all, but strength in emotional intelligent right now is difficult.   Still, I do have hope that there are far more good people in the world than bad.  There is far more caring than not.  We simply must have kindness speak louder than hate.

I don’t know if going through the pandemic has created a society that is more or less compassionate.  I keep trying to figure out where the world has landed after going through something so historically life-altering.  I can tell you, having my oldest being one of those unfortunate 2020 seniors whose graduation, prom, final sport’s season, 18^th birthday party, last day of senior year, senior skip day, graduation parties, and everything else that makes finishing up high school so worth the wait.  Then began her college career in front of a computer, never attending a class her freshman year, hidden behind a mask as she struggled to make new friends half a country away from home.  And my son, who had the bulk of his high school career done in front of a computer screen, alone, in his bedroom, similarly hidden behind a mask when school was in person.

It was heart-wrenching to watch as a parent knowing from our experiences of our time in high school and college all that they were missing.  It was hard not to be angry and bitter asking why all this was happening, and especially why now for my kids at their age.   But remarkably, what I did not see from my kids, nor from many I know their age, was bitterness.  Sure, they were upset and sad at times when the pandemic dragged on and the next significant event was lost, but I did not see bitterness.  I did not see hate.  I did not see then dwell in the now.  I saw kids trying to figure out ways in which they could be happy, social, and connected despite the challenges.  They figured it out.

We can all take lessons from these kids.  Find happiness where you can, connect in whatever way possible, and let people know that they are not forgotten no matter how isolated the world has forced us to be.  We must find ways to make these things scream louder than the hate.

Celebrate where we can, who we can.  My business is all about that.  High school and college are tough under the best of circumstances, but what our children have just been though is pretty extraordinary and they handled it like the amazing beings that they are.  Celebrate that.  Celebrate them!  I know I went nuts celebrating my son’s high school graduation last month.  I relished in the opportunity to celebrate fully, as we were denied so much of that 2 years earlier for my daughter.  It was a huge celebration.  And of course, I bought him a ton of college wear from his college of choice.  Smiles abounded.

So, spread the smiles celebrating your grad.  Spread the smiles with a beautiful gift from Revelry.  Just spread the smiles wherever you go, every day.  Scream kindness every chance you get, and together we will drown out the hate!