Tilt # 51 - Patience & Self-compassion

Charlie Mackesy is a British artist, illustrator, and author of the book, The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse. This unassuming book, first known as a piece of children's literature, was instrumental in helping me keep my focus and sanity in my final year of graduate school.

I remember sitting with this book, tears streaming down my face unchecked. I almost felt embarrassed that a children's book would affect my fully adult soul so deeply but THAT, is the power of children's literature, isn't it? A story told in its most basic and simple form can touch the core of the human spirit and heart more than any flowery sonnet or bombastic debate. Charlie's book went on to minister to hundreds of thousands of people during the Covid 19 years of lockdown and isolation. Just take a look at the book reviews wherever this book is sold.

I went on to include excerpts of the book in my final Master's presentation to faculty, fellow cohort members, and attending alumni to close my graduate school journey. I felt no need to apologize that pages and quotes from a children's book were present within the lessons learned about myself as an instrument of change at grad school. Since then, I have gifted this gem to several people praying they'd find hope and self-love as I did through Charlie's masterpiece.

I saved this new gem from Charlie's Facebook page this week. As I mentioned last post, it's been 18 months of excruciatingly slow progress on my journey as a writer and entrepreneur. Charlie's post once again, reminded me to be kind to myself the way I would be with others. So, here's me, sitting in a fresh puddle of tears, with another simple truth, offered from the mind and heart of an unlikely and humble Academy Award-winning author... Charlie was adorable in his acceptance speech when he won for Best Animated Short Film in 2023.

I know something special, meaningful, and impactful is on the verge of being born from within me...and shouting at myself at my slow pace will not birth it any faster. Thank you, Charlie.

And what about you, beloved? You who either stumbled here or you who has known and followed my blog for some time...do you need to stop shouting at yourself for something that needs time to bloom?