To the kid with cancer of the bones. Who is up late tonight because his meds won’t let him sleep. To his mother, who is beside him, rubbing his tummy.
Mothers have been rubbing tummies since the dawn of the man.
To the man who raises palmettos in South Alabama, whose wife passed yesterday morning. The same man who is starting a pecan orchard because it’s what she always wanted.
To the woman who is the janitor for the Baptist church. Who clocks out of her other job to push her cart up and down the halls.
She cleans bathrooms, dusts offices. Who doesn’t get home until eight at night, and still has time to cook her kids a full supper meal before bedtime.
To the nine-year-old girl whose father abused her. Whose life will forever be painted with the badness he left. She is now thirty-three. She got married this morning. Someone emailed me photos of the ordeal.
Once, that same girl said, “I didn’t trust anyone for a long time, it was a big mistake. I’ve wasted a lot of years being scared of good people.”
And to the young man who fell off the roof of a construction site. He broke two ribs. The woman across the street took him to the hospital.
She carried him twelve hours to Texas to be in his mother’s house while he recovered.
“Sometimes,” said that neighbor woman. “A man needs his mother.”
I’m writing this to the Walmart employee who was on a smoke break ten minutes ago. She sat on the sidewalk.
She cried while talking on the cellphone. If I didn’t know any better, it sounded like her boyfriend was breaking up with her.
And to Jason, who just discovered he’s good a basketball player. Who has felt like a failure until now. Who tells me he developed a love of Mel Tillis after a friend sent him several albums in the mail.
“‘Coca-Cola Cowboy’ is, like, one of my favorites songs now,” says Jason.
Mine, too, Jason.
To the young man who drives a truck for a living. Who thought it would be a great line of work, but doesn’t feel that way anymore. Who finds himself far from his kids and his wife. Who spends his nights on the phone and on his computer, keeping in touch.
And to you.
The person who believes you aren’t quite enough. No matter what you do, the feeling is there, beneath the surface. It nags at you like the tag in a new pair of underpants.
You have waited so long to see your ship come in, you’re beginning to think you’re on the wrong dock.
You are sad. You can’t have a baby. Or you’re poor.
Your girlfriend wouldn’t marry you—even after eleven years together. She left you and got married a year later. Then had kids. Three of them.
I know this is late coming, and I know it doesn’t mean much coming from a stranger.
I know it doesn’t take away the ugly parts of life. But I mean it when I say it. And I hope you know that. And I hope you know that these three words are just code. Code for “I love you.” Code for “it’s going to be okay.” Code for “this isn’t the end, not even close.”
God bless you.
57 comments
Joe - August 31, 2022 2:43 pm
Thank you
Larry McEntire - August 31, 2022 2:43 pm
And God bless you, also. I love you and you post’s which start each day. Keep up the good work!
Jo Ann - August 31, 2022 2:46 pm
Thank you, Sean, for all you write. We all can identify with much that you talk about. For those who don’t like the optimism & care you send- read something else & quit with the criticism.
Thanks again.
Mary J Damron - August 31, 2022 2:48 pm
Thank you for having a caring heart for those who are hurting. You remind me that life isn’t great for everyone. God Bless you Sean, keep on writing. I do enjoy it so much.
Kathy - August 31, 2022 2:49 pm
You are to loved Sean of the South
Judy - August 31, 2022 2:52 pm
STOP making me cry. Let my crazy mixed up world make me cry.
Bob Walsh - August 31, 2022 2:52 pm
Nice article! It projects Hope. Looking forward to seeing and listening to you in Mobile next week!
Barbara. McKinley - August 31, 2022 2:56 pm
Dear Sean, how do people write to you? You seem Roger lots of mail from people.Doesitall come through comments?? Thank you.
sjhl7 - August 31, 2022 2:56 pm
Amen and Amen!
Carol - August 31, 2022 2:57 pm
And God Bless You, Sean….Thanks for another great way to begin the day!
Sharon haggerty - August 31, 2022 2:58 pm
Love everything you write. It is so good for the soul and always so real. Thank you.
Paul - August 31, 2022 2:59 pm
To the daughter who invited 35 people to her mother’s 90th birthday party, but her mother unexpectedly died a few days before. God bless you and all the guests as you turn her birthday party into a Celebration of her Life.
David Britnell - August 31, 2022 3:12 pm
I was panicking because your post hadn’t hit my email till 10:00 today. I needed my fix! You always make me feel better about life and people in general! Have a blessed day Bubba!
Gerri Williams - August 31, 2022 3:13 pm
I’m pretty sure you wrote this to me. Thank you.
Patricia Gibson - August 31, 2022 3:13 pm
God Bless you, Sean and all those folks out there😇
Kathy Compton - August 31, 2022 3:23 pm
Sean. Thank you. So kind and sweet and filled with care for others.
Bob Stewart - August 31, 2022 3:25 pm
THANK YOU!!
tammymoody - August 31, 2022 3:36 pm
This isn’t code – just straight up, You’re doing a great job Sean! Keep it up!! God loves YOU!!
Trilby - August 31, 2022 3:46 pm
God Bless You Sean❣️
Jessica Llewallyn - August 31, 2022 3:51 pm
God blessed me with you and finding your writings to bring a smile to my face, good tears to my eyes, and hope in my heart.
AL - August 31, 2022 4:16 pm
Sean, continue to share that Hope abounds. Always has and always will if you Believe. There is lots of ugly, evil and sadness in our world. But take the time to look for all the goodness and much of it is in the most unlikely places as well as people. Preach on Brother Sean! Lots of folks are listening and Believing..
Linda Moon - August 31, 2022 4:26 pm
And to you, Sean Dietrich: God Bless You. No code needed because I really do…..Love You, that is.
Liz Hoyt - August 31, 2022 4:27 pm
Cannot thank you enough.
Linda Moon - August 31, 2022 4:29 pm
And to you, Sean Dietrich: God Bless You. No code needed because I really do…Love You, that is.
Gayle - August 31, 2022 4:33 pm
Thank you Sean. And you are right, this is not the end. I love a quote I read shortly after me and my husband lost our best friend tragically. The quote is from Pierre Teilhard de Chardin – “we are not human beings having a spiritual experience, we are spiritual beings having a human experience”. This really hit me in the midst of the sadness. Yes! We are spiritual beings and these tragic, sad, painful experiences are us living in a human world.
Gayle - August 31, 2022 4:36 pm
You sure do put things in perspective God bless you
Randy Jones - August 31, 2022 4:46 pm
And you!
Ernie in River City - August 31, 2022 4:53 pm
Thank you. I needed this today.
Martha B Stuart - August 31, 2022 5:06 pm
Beautiful thoughts!!!
Jan Werbish - August 31, 2022 5:16 pm
God Bless you Sean! Tears in my eyes reading this one!!
Pat - August 31, 2022 5:27 pm
You see them all, those who are unseen by the world. You have blessed my heart today, again. May God bless yours and Jamie’s.
Anne Arthur - August 31, 2022 5:34 pm
Wow. Sean, God bless you too. Abundantly!!
This is a beautiful post about beautiful people. May God bless us all.
Paul McCutchen - August 31, 2022 6:30 pm
Thanks Sean…I really needed this
Kathy - August 31, 2022 6:45 pm
And to all of us feeling sorry for ourselves, Sean again puts it all into perspective..
Blessings to you and
God Bless You all …
pattymack43 - August 31, 2022 7:14 pm
❤️❤️❤️
Teresa Blankenship - August 31, 2022 7:19 pm
Amen ❤️
Steve McCaleb - August 31, 2022 8:29 pm
Son I hope you have just a small understanding of the good you to. You are the champion of the average (or maybe just a step below). We as a society have sunk to the point where we are making “heroes” out of everybody who comes down the street. That demeans the term. Doing what any decent, caring person would do does NOT make you a hero. It makes you a human being. And maybe if we’re fortunate it makes you a follower of a Compassionate Lord. My heroes are the people who who have been beat down, overlooked, mistreated and sold short all their lives and still inspite of everything get up every single day and keep putting one foot in front of the other when there’s a million reasons not to. Good people who know that they have people they love are depending.on them. Those are my heroes. No bells, no whistles, no parades. Just the deep consolation of doing what’s right. I hope and pray our people never lose that. If I’ve offended anyone….good.It’s my mission in life.
Sue - August 31, 2022 8:32 pm
Sean, what a beautiful gift you are to me, to all of us. God Bless You.
Cindy - August 31, 2022 8:59 pm
I love how you love people. Thank you for your caring heart you so generously share with us each day.
Timothy L McMeans - August 31, 2022 9:16 pm
Thank you Sean…..God has a high place for you in Heaven.
Karen Snyder - August 31, 2022 9:43 pm
Sometimes we just need a bit of fine tuning to our perspective. Thanks for quietly going about the work of doing that. ❤️
Marilyn Vance - August 31, 2022 9:57 pm
To the wife who after 64 years of marriage had to put her husband into a memory care unit because of Alzheimer’s….you are loved…
Erin - August 31, 2022 10:03 pm
God bless you! Many thanks.
MAM - August 31, 2022 10:46 pm
Sean, I know we tell you that you are an amazing writer, but really, how do you manage in your lists to always name something/someone that hits me/us as being me/us? God Bless You and Jamie!
Debbie - August 31, 2022 11:07 pm
Thank you for drawing God’s attention toward us with your blessing. God bless you, too.
patriciasimmonstaylor - September 1, 2022 12:37 am
God Bless you for your uplifting words of Hope and Love.
B Wynn - September 1, 2022 1:16 am
Thank you
Cheryl Newsome - September 1, 2022 2:44 am
Thank you Sean. I needed some positive words today. This year has been full of things going wrong.
Barbara L - September 1, 2022 2:51 am
Alabama-Forty-Hour Week. Thank you, America.
Buddy Caudill - September 1, 2022 2:58 am
Thank you
Tim H - September 1, 2022 5:51 pm
Sean:
You don’t know me.
You will probably never know me.
But your words touch me every single day.
They ensure my tear ducts are alive and well.
I don’t know how you track your number of subscribers.
I’m not on your subscriber list but like thousands of others, your words are shared and read.
So from 2000 miles away, I just wanted to say a simple thank you.
It has to be a challenge to find the words to inspire us daily, yet you manage to do it.
And it is appreciated.
Debbie g - September 2, 2022 1:27 am
Thank you Sean
Love to you and Jamie
And love to us all
Sean you are one of Gods special
Messengers ❤️❤️
Denise DeVries - September 2, 2022 2:14 pm
Amen, Sean. You hit the nail on the head-again. I think I love you.
Lydia - September 2, 2022 3:54 pm
Oh wow.
CHARALEEN WRIGHT - September 9, 2022 3:03 am
❤️
Joan Mitchell - September 10, 2022 2:44 pm
God bless you, Sean.
Linda Moon - September 16, 2022 8:35 pm
I’m commenting again to verify for myself that I’m still signed in to receive comments via email.