Rippy and Graham Dusseldorp

I wrote a personal message to Sandra earlier today, but I wanted to share it with everyone. If I could, I would grant everyone the same magic wish that I want to give Sandra.

This is what I wrote:

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I received Lori Odhner's Marriage Moat today and saw the stunningly beautiful dance video she linked: http://www.godvine.com/Shadow-Dance-Love-Story-That-Will-Bring-You-to-Tears-3143.html

I had tears streaming down my face. So did Graham.

As I listened to the words of the song (Emeli Sande's Read All About It: http://www.metrolyrics.com/read-all-about-it-ptiii-lyrics-emeli-sande.html), I thought of you.

I thought of how happy I am that you are not silent. I thought of your fearlessness and your strength and how you keep sharing your message, even when there are people that are being mean spirited and hurtful. No matter how many people encourage and advice you to change your song, you keep singing what you know to be true.

I'm benefiting so much from a journey you started more than 20 years ago. I wonder if you'll ever know how many lives you've changed for the better by sharing your life and experiences.

If I could grant you a magic wish, I would want that. For you to somehow be able to have a bird's eye view of the world and see all the lives you helped make sweeter. I'd hope you could see all the instances of negative, dark energy turn bright and positive when parents thought of you and your words and ideas. I hope you'd see how many almost frowns you helped change into smiles and laughter. I'd hope you'd see how those grown children were able to be better parents because of your influence on their parents or grandparents.

Thank you for being a lioness and thank you for helping me learn your song. Thank you for creating a safe den where other lionesses (Joyce, Pam, and all the other beautiful voices) also share their songs.

I've always been a gazelle that wants to sing quietly and have a quiet life. I found it the best way to avoid grumpy people.

But you all inspire me to be braver. Maybe when I grow up, I'll be a lioness too ;-)

Lots of love, Rippy

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Coincidently, she sent me a personal message at the same time I sent her my email (not having had a chance to see what I had written above). This is part of what she wrote:

-=- If we dilute to the point that everyone is comfortable, no one will have any reason to learn or grow -=-

I agree, but it takes brave people to help others grow. I'm thankful we have Sandra.






[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Sandra Dodd

NOTICE: Anyone who doesn't want to be sad, don't watch that video Rippy sent. If you can handle a little more unhappiness this week, go ahead; if you're a dancer or artist, it's stunning. I'm not a dancer or an artist, and it made me cry when I didn't feel like crying.

But I was just about to send what Rippy posted (minus the video; I was going to leave that part out) to Joyce Fetteroll and Pam Sorooshian, who were named in it, and I wanted them to get their thanks and credit.

I wouldn't have been helping people this long or this well if it hadn't been for Pam and Joyce. There are many others who have been helpful and supportive and inspiring, but the constant and consistent work of Pam and Joyce has kept me going.

Thank you, Rippy, for your kind words.

I'm working on putting up an article I wrote in 1996, written after the first time I spoke in California, the first time I met Pam, and of a conversation with my kids, at Disneyland. Before this, it was in a homeschooling newsletter in California (when it was new) and it's in Moving a Puddle. I'll bring the link when the formatting is done.

Sandra