On May 10^th, I drove to Charlotte, NC where I was to be interviewed on the local NPR radio station, WFAE and where I would present and sign my books at the Charlotte Museum of the South.  My dear friends of more than 20 years, Clarice and Dent Goodyear, had offered to provide a wonderful event for their friends and family members.

In preparation for the events, I asked for clarity and guidance in being the vehicle for a message that would provide an opening for those who would be listening.  Checking in regularly for the usual stomach jitters and anxiety, it was curiously missing.  The radio interviewer was a substitute but he had come well prepared, having read The Joy of Adulthood.  There were several passages underlined in red and a list of comments and questions that he wanted to explore.  It was a friendly interview and Chris represented community people who are generally positive and of good intention.  He asked solid and important questions that opened doors for the public to challenge or engage in.  The show had three 20 minute segments with the opportunity for listeners to call in.

After the first break, the calls started coming in.  That all except one were male was a surprise.  All questions were acknowledging and sincere.  One man was so excited about hearing the distinctions of the child and that he might be able to manage things differently if he had a conscious adult present.  He had pulled his car into a Barnes and Noble and had ordered the book immediately.

Even the dreaded question about "people of faith" revealed the speaker's recognition about the distinctions of what happens when the adolescent is being righteously absolute about its definition of what is right and appropriate for everyone else. 

At the private book signing, a US Ambassador came to me and was surprised when he recognized the book title and realized that I was the person he had heard on the NPR radio program.  He had already requested that his assistant call and order the book for him.  After others had heard the interview, they called and made last minute reservations to come to the book signing.  One woman rescheduled her oral surgery for the next day so that she could come to the book signing.  What validation that the message had been meaningful!

I felt honored to be invited by my friends to an event that brought together so many wonderful people committed to making a difference in their world.  They reflected the beauty and powerful contributions that Clarice and Dent have made in the lives of so many.  The honoring opportunity to be the carrier for the message was made real by those who responded to my speaking.

To be the channel for the message is an honor.  To be honored by so many is an honor.  To acknowledge the unselfish giving and heart of my friends and all their friends is an honor.

May you bring honor to yourself and those you love.
Sylvia