14 Comments
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Margot Potter's avatar

Art, music, theater, film, dance, literature, love...these things give me hope. And you, my friend.

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Jena Ball's avatar

Yes, I feel the same about you and all the things you mentioned. Plus animals - the animals never forgot you see :-) I look forward to your posts every day for my dose of humor, insight, and cantankerousness. Because what’s a lady part after all without some attitude, right?

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Margot Potter's avatar

Oh yes! The dogs and I are enjoying Soft Snuggle Time at this very moment. ❤️

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Jena Ball's avatar

I am so jealous. Please send photos and kiss their noses for me.

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Tizz's avatar
Mar 6Edited

I loved every word. Doxie is adorable. ♥

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Jena Ball's avatar

He’s the main character in my 5th book. Each book has a theme - a challenge that one dog has to overcome. For one it was being black and bullied, for another it was having a physical disability, or another perfectionism. The idea is that kids can relate and see how these things can get worked out through the stories of the dogs. I’m so glad you like Doxie. He was fun to draw.

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Tizz's avatar

These books sound delightful. ♥

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Diane’s Blue Forum 👩‍💻's avatar

Community and love for neighbors are essential for good mental health.

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E. Jean Carroll's avatar

BRILLIANT, JENA!

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Jena Ball's avatar

Thank you!

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Vine and Branch By Denny Mac's avatar

Not sure it’s possible to know if nothing is hopeless. Believing it is always possible though. Acting as if is too. Believing that nothing is hopeless gives me hope. Having been brought up Catholic by two devout Catholics, and having attended parochial school taught by nuns in black habits, I always found it interesting that the church has a whole lengthy and scrupulously detailed investigative process for declaring someone a saint based on the way they lived their life, but has nothing of the sort for declaring someone an unforgiven sinner damned to hell based on how they might have lived their life. That has always been my standard for the existence of hope. It recognizes the ever present possibility of goodness existing within what appears to be the worst evil.

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Jena Ball's avatar

I like that, Denny. I have to see and believe in the Hope beyond the appearance of evil.

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Kimberly Montgomery (CA)'s avatar

What a fabulous heart filling experience to just connect with people. I believe you are correct in that we really are so very much a like in the ways that matter...some have just lost their North Star.

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Jena Ball's avatar

Yes, that’s it exactly. It’s not that I don’t know we disagree it’s that who we are is so much bigger and more meaningful than that. I’ll have those conversations with them another day now that we know and like one another more :-)

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