It was nearly midnight when I walked in the door to my condo on the beach, feeling totally exhausted and completely burned out. I had flown all over the country speaking-32 flights in six weeks, with a total of only about 6 days at home during that whole time. Although I love my job and the mission of my speaking, this time it just seemed “too much.” Most of my friends have retired, and I had just found out that two of my kids were out of work, and here I was beating myself up, both mentally and physically, traveling and working!
I remember thinking, “OK, Lord, I know this is a gift You have given me, and I know I have asked You to put me where You want me to be, but how much longer do You want me to keep doing this? I am tired and I want a ‘real’ life like everyone else. Am I REALLY making a difference?”
As always, I came home to at least 3 feet of mail, 2000+ emails, and piles everywhere in my condo since I am never here to sort through and straighten out! As I began going through the interminable piles of mail about 1:00 am, I came across a padded envelope in the stack. I opened it and found a book titled, “The Good Grief Club – A True Story About the Power of Friendship and French Toast” by Monica Novak. I was curious – I did not remember knowing anyone named Monica Novak.
As I opened the book, I saw a handwritten inscription that said, “In loving memory of Gavin Ward Glanz.” Gavin was our second child who died at birth, and rarely does anyone ever mention him. Below that was another inscription:
Dear Barbara,
I thank God for leading me to hear you speak on the radio ten years ago. Not only did you inspire me, but you’ve touched the life of every person who will ever read this book. Thank you for your passion and dedication for making this world a better, more caring place.
Many blessings,
Monica
Even more curious, I turned to the acknowledgements. Here is the first paragraph:
“The journey of writing this book began ten years ago when I was awakened in the middle of the night with an urgent sense that I should write down the details of this story. I didn’t know then why it would be so important. One year later, while driving home from Indiana to Illinois, I came upon a late-night AM talk radio program being broadcast from Minnesota, featuring author Barbara Glanz. As she talked about her own books, she encouraged people, like me, who had a story to tell but were mentally stuck because of a lack of formal writing education or experience. So, first and foremost, I need to thank Barbara and my unseen “angels” for getting me on this road and keeping me behind the wheels with constant guidance and inspiration.”
Oh, my, talk about God sending a direct message! This was exactly the affirmation I needed – to KNOW without a doubt that my message IS making a difference,..and even after ten whole years! I have written Monica, but the truth is, I have absolutely no recollection of ever doing a radio talk show in Minnesota…and that would have been in 1998, just three years after I started my company when I was a relatively new speaker and author.
The amazing lesson I gained from this precious experience, besides a beautiful new friendship and a heartfelt, compassionate book that will touch anyone who has lost an infant, is that we never ever know the impact our words might have on someone else. What a blessing as well as an awesome responsibility every time we open our mouths!
I wonder…how many times do we receive encouraging messages from above that go right over our heads? For me, this affirmation was a gift from God that I need to keep on with my mission, no matter how tired I am or how difficult the travel is or how long I am away from home. I KNOW I am where He wants me to be, and I am grateful.
To learn more about Barbara’s work, go to www.barbaraglanz.com.
To order Monica’s book, go to The Good Grief Club.
