Stay As Sweet As You Are




If people were to write something about you, what would they say?

When I was in high school, people often signed my yearbook with the words, “Stay as sweet as you are.”

Somewhere in my twenties, I decided I didn’t want that word hanging over my head anymore. “Sweet” sounded naïve, soft, unassertive and maybe even weak. So I tried to change it.

It didn’t work.

Life happened. Work, marriage, children, responsibilities, loss, healing, all the things that shape us as adults. But recently I found myself thinking about those yearbook comments again and realized something important.

The sweetness never really went away.

And maybe it was never really about being “sweet” at all.

Maybe it was about being kind to people. Listening. Looking them in the eye. Remembering things that matter to them. Being available when someone needs comfort, conversation, or connection.

There is nothing wrong with being remembered that way.

In fact, I think I would be proud of it.

I think people would also remember that there was always sand on my floors (and in my tub), shells and pieces of seaglass in my pockets, and that I noticed sunsets, birds, waves, and stories other people sometimes hurried past.

I loved gathering people together — classmates, neighbors, friends, family. There is something special about creating spaces where people feel welcomed, remembered, and connected.

The way people remember us ties in with Caitlin’s Star. The “special jobs” aren’t really about heaven or stars alone. Grandmother Pearl loved to clean and polish and her “Heavenly Job” was polishing the stars. It’s really about essence — the things people carry with them so strongly that we can still feel them after they’re gone.

Maybe that is what an idealist really is. Someone who keeps collecting beauty, memories, and people along the way.

What about you? How would the people who know and love you remember you?

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