03/09/2026
Sometimes the universe sends tiny reminders to keep going.
This last couple months I have been trying to solve two things that don’t seem to want to be solved. You know those situations where no matter what you try, what angle you come at it from, or how many conversations you have… it just feels like you’re banging your head against a brick wall?
I imagine I’m preaching to the choir here.
Even during times like that, life keeps moving.
Today, I had a couple meetings that were close enough together timewise that it didn’t make sense to drive home in between.
My daughter asked if we could go to the park in St. Johns.
So we did. I was feeling sad and grumpy. Maybe this was what we both needed.
As I was pulling in, I noticed a white-haired gentleman with a long beard walking his dog. He had paused at the splash pad to play the musical instruments they have there. The ones that were installed in honor of a young kid.
I wondered if the child’s parents ever see moments like that and smile.
I know It made me smile.
Then there was another man walking with what looked like grumpy determination. You know the type — walking purposeful, very focused.
I waved, like you do in a small town.
He lifted his blue hat in the air and gave the most dramatic wave back.
It made me smile.
I sat in the sunshine for a bit. A little toddler wandered over and told me a very serious story. I have absolutely no idea what he said, but he was very committed to telling it.
It made me smile.
I watched my daughter run, laugh, and play. The sunshine and the breeze felt good.
It made me smile.
Then I found someone had left a small rock with a bee painted on it next to the sink.
My daughter loves bees.
So I picked it up and brought it to her so she could share in the joy.
And we decided this week we’re going to paint a handful of rocks and bring them back to the park so we can make someone else smile too.
I share this because this is real life. I was feeling sad, and frustrated,. Then I found reasons to smile, and then we found a way to expand the joy.
Hard days exist. Even when you're building something beautiful like Copper.
And I want the kids at Copper to know something important.
It’s okay to cry.
It’s okay to have hard days.
Copper will always be a safe place to fall apart when things feel heavy.
Because we get it. We know what hard days look like.
And sometimes the things that help the most are very small:
🎶 Dogs and park instruments.
👋 Blue hats and dramatic waves.
☀️ Sunshine and laughter.
🐝 And bees painted on rocks.
My dream is that we help kids find those things for themselves. That we give them tools to work through the hard so that they can come out stronger on the other side.
So, tell me, what’s one small thing that made you smile today?
