Outward Love

My last few posts have been self-driven and self-focused so today I really want to turn over a new leaf of outward love and share some things that have nothing to do with me.

There have been two major things that have happened this week that have warmed my heart and have helped remind me of the larger world I live in.

1) I was sitting in my cozy living room on Wednesday night, watching the news, when the show did a special on an event DC does every year for Thanksgiving. The event is a celebration of all those adopted that year. Kids from age newborn to 16 are shown with their new, adoptive parents and families. I didn't think much of it until I saw a clip of my student being held by her social worker and her 3-year-old brother being held by their grandmother. This was the same student I wrote about in my blog entitled, "Home". She got adopted by her grandmother!

Thinking about all she has been through in her short 5 years of life, I couldn't help but feel excited for her and what this means for her future. This little girl won't be scared to go home anymore; she'll have the support she needs at home and she'll have a great environment to grow up in. I am so happy for her and so thankful that everything worked out for her family.

2) I found out today that my Death Row inmate that I've been writing back and forth with as part of the "Death Row Support Project" has been relocated. My pen pal was sentenced to death after his conviction in 2006. He was granted a retrial in July of this year (because of a biased juror in his first trial) and I just found out the results today. My pen pal has always been honest with me about the crime he committed. He acknowledged that he did it and he entered a guilty plea in the retrial.

In July, he was found guilty but this time sentenced to life without parole. Because of the guilty plea he made, he didn't get the death penalty. I pray that one day the death penalty won't even be on the table for anyone. I pray one day that the death penalty won't even be a part of the equation. My pen pal isn't perfect and he did a terrible crime and my heart goes out to the victims, but an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind. I am happy that my friend can live a long life and try to make right by what he did.

I just wanted to share two snip-its of life that have made me smile. I hope all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! We certainly have many things to be thankful for and many people around us to help remind us of the outward love we all deserve.