In the early days of The Letter Project, when it was just me and the handful of women who instantly bought in to this crazy idea, I adopted the mantra of loving my little.
You see, it would be easy, in our social media-dense world, to compare our small tribe to the thousands of followers other women have. It would be easy, in our fast-paced, instant-growth, overnight-celebrity culture to feel like our progress is too slow, or, on some days, even stagnant.
But, I decided last fall that I wouldn't - I couldn't - play this game. I had to learn to love my little.
I want to genuinely love every woman who has agreed to be part of this. Not because she makes our cause bigger, but because she is one single human who is making the world a little brighter by writing a letter to a girl in need.
I want to love every, $20, $10 and $5 donation. Not because they give me more money, but because someone, somewhere decided to support us in a way that felt significant to them. And that matters.
I want to love 200 writers just as much as the 1,400 writers we have now. And, if the day comes when we have thousands of writers, I want to love all of them - no more or less than I did the original 15 who signed up.
I want to love my little because, otherwise, I might be tempted to let numbers drive this project, as opposed to purpose.
I want to love my little because little is beautiful. Also, my little might be someone else's big. And guess what?
Your little might be really big to me. That's the beauty in loving your little - it gives you perspective. It helps you recognize and appreciate how much you really have.
These days, I'm loving my little beyond The Letter Project, too. I love the little house we just bought. It might be tiny to you, but it's just right for us.
I love the little family we are creating. It sure looks small next to my sisters' four and five babies, but, right now, it's exactly the size we are supposed to be.
I'm loving our little left and right and, as we press through this season of more (gifts! activities! sugar!), I hope you, too, can find ways to love your little each and every day. Because you, my friend, and your little, are beautiful.