Luminescence: the light without heat in everyday life

Vignettes from ordinary moments of human goodness

Jeannie Ewing

Jan 08, 2025

Sunrise in winter from my front yard, taken in 2021.

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Here’s some humor and heart for your Wednesday. I’ve taken these snapshots from my life, especially from my kids, as a reminder that goodness exists around and within us.

Equal Parts

Originally written and posted as a Note on 11/6/2024.

Yesterday, after I voted, I took a walk with our dog, Daisy.

With agitation and restlessness in the air, I tried to shake it by attuning to the natural world that carries such powerful neutrality.

Then, I glanced at my feet, and among thousands of fallen leaves, this one leapt out.

A perfect heart shape, a joining of two halves into one whole.

And then it occurred to me: We are more than what we believe we are.

We are more than our political affiliations,

creeds,

gender,

socioeconomic status,

race and ethnicity.

We are more than the sum of our parts.

We are broken, yet whole.

Each of us is worthy to be heard, seen, and valued.

Each of us is worthy of love.

Future diplomat

Originally written and posted as a Note on 11/5/2024; this is an adaptation.

In preschool today, Auggie filled out a paper that said, “If I were president, I would…”

He scribbled and told his teacher, “give everyone water.”

If only adults in positions of power could see through the lens of a child’s vision for equity, justice, and humanity.

Neutrality

Originally written and posted as a Note on 11/5/2024.

This morning, Ben asked Sarah, “If you were old enough to vote, who would you vote for president today?”

Sarah said, without missing a beat, “The Recovery Room.”

The Recovery Room is a local upholstery business, which has nothing to do with politics whatsoever.

Maybe Sarah is on to something here.

“The War of the Butterflies”

Originally written and posted as a Note on 11/4/2024.

Felicity gave me this art piece she created yesterday. She titled it, “The War of the Butterflies.”

Intrigued, I asked her what that meant. She said, “Half of the butterflies are warm, like by a fire. Half of them are cold, like in ice water. They're rivals, but they're trying to come together.”

I couldn't think of a better visual to express the desperation of our divided nation and world.

We might think we are enemies, but we're all blending together, whether we realize it or not.

Wouldn't it be a marvel if we remembered that, like the butterfly, we are all created for the skies?

What gives me hope today and restores my faith in humanity is the gift of my daughter's pure heart.

Holding Hands

Originally written and posted as a Note on 10/31/2024.

I received an email from my daughter Felicity’s music teacher yesterday: “I wanted to take a moment to commend Felicity for her exceptional work on our recent songwriting project.”

Here are the lyrics she wrote with her friend, Tycho, which she gave me permission to share with you today:

Let’s do this
Together
Friends
Forever
When I am down
You help me
See the light
I want to understand
Your life
Help you out
In times of strife
You always make me
Smile
No matter what
You are so kind
You have an open heart
It’s fun to be
Together
Forever
Forever

It might sound trite or inane, but what if we looked at the person next to us in the voting precinct and thought, “I wonder if we might be friends, even if they’re voting differently than I am?”

What if we stood next to the person we despise the most, the one who is picketing or publishing what directly contradicts our convictions and said, “We might be friends. They might be kind. They might have an open heart.”

Here’s the thing: We can’t wait for someone else to be the one to extend their hand, to admit they’re wrong, to say, “I’m sorry,” to end the name-calling.

We have to be the one. It begins with you and with me. Today.