Thank you for this Sunday morning, pre-church “church” 💝
I’m one who just subscribed yesterday, after reading the post you included in this one. For me, the thing I found/find so moving is the ‘AND’. As in, your life has been hard AND you feel gratitude, hope, beauty, and reasons to go on. This is so needed in today’s crazy messed up world. Thank you! May you continue to be blessed and keep shining your light. 💖
May God break my heart so completely the whole world falls in. ~ Mother Theresa
Today it's 7 years, 5 months, 18 days since the medical examiner closed my wife’s eyes and gently slid the sheet up over her face.
I’m broken, but if you met me, you wouldn't know it. I laugh and smile and work hard just like anyone else. But if we talked about life and death and holding Jesus's hand through the dark valley, you’d notice that my eyes fill with tears and I have to stop talking every couple of words.
I cry at the drop of a hat. It's not that I'm sad, it’s that I lost my armor — I’m raw to the pain and joy in the world. The funny thing is, I like myself better this way. I’m more compassionate, less arrogant, gentler, and willingly drop everything when someone needs me. I see God’s power pour through the pieces of my broken heart into the lives of the people around me. It makes me wonder if there really was any room for him before.
Robert, I too, am one of your new followers. I was drawn to your gratitude and love for what I have always considered the ordinary miracles of daily life - the things that nourish us like food and books, flowers and long walks. I make time for gratitude for those things in my own life. But I have always had enough to eat and was always able to get Scholastic books as a kid. You remind us that nothing is to be taken for granted, and I am grateful for THAT! Thank you. I look forward to following you on your journey. Thank you for inviting us.
“The sting of lack” resonates so deeply for me. I love your appreciation of the simple things mixed with the ongoing practice of deleting texts every week — deep gratitude without attachment, a blank canvas every week.
A friend recently shared an affirmation with me, “show me how good it can get!!” ~ this sentiment is one I wish for you, me, all of us who have been without and are welcoming a season of with 🤍✨ big love to you, thank you!
I’m not that important so I don’t tend to get sensitive information via text. By Sunday I try to reply to anything important and have never needed to reference something that was said later
What a beautiful and touching piece, Robert. Damn. Your words made me ache and want to send you flowers every day. I love and respect your approach and framing of your life. Thank you for sharing your tenderness with all of us. 🩷💐🌷
Brother Robert, you preach a better gospel than half the bishops I’ve met.
This is the life: books on shelves, flowers on tables, tears that have taught you tenderness. The monks say that the simple life is not the lesser life—it is the life that remembers what matters.
And deleting those texts? Now that’s a spiritual practice I can get behind. Make room for grace. Make room for joy. Ain’t no life like the one you got—and thank you for letting us glimpse its hard-earned beauty.
Absolutely love this and definitely caught the song reference! One of my favorites! I'm new here, and I have to say, I'm proud of you! You've raised yourself up even through adversity. I'm in a similar way and appreciate seeing others who also choose to thrive rather survive or fail.
This is such a “heart space” post. It feels all green and pink. Thank you for writing this. Thank you for healing others with your words. Thank you for inspiring me today. I hope to be like you someday.
Thank you, Robert, for sharing the gentle reminder to cherish the ‘little’ things. I was just having a conversation before reading this with someone who found out their lump in their leg was not cancer. She said ‘nothing else matters now, I can walk’.
Also omg! The deleting all texts each week to make room for the new!!!!! 🙏🏽 I’m going to try this! Feels scary but heck - love a jump into the unknown 😅
Thank you for this Sunday morning, pre-church “church” 💝
I’m one who just subscribed yesterday, after reading the post you included in this one. For me, the thing I found/find so moving is the ‘AND’. As in, your life has been hard AND you feel gratitude, hope, beauty, and reasons to go on. This is so needed in today’s crazy messed up world. Thank you! May you continue to be blessed and keep shining your light. 💖
Aww thank you for reading and engaging with me!!!
PS - thanks for the ‘props’ in footnote 1. To make us happy doesn’t take a lot 😉
Your substack title grabbed me.
May God break my heart so completely the whole world falls in. ~ Mother Theresa
Today it's 7 years, 5 months, 18 days since the medical examiner closed my wife’s eyes and gently slid the sheet up over her face.
I’m broken, but if you met me, you wouldn't know it. I laugh and smile and work hard just like anyone else. But if we talked about life and death and holding Jesus's hand through the dark valley, you’d notice that my eyes fill with tears and I have to stop talking every couple of words.
I cry at the drop of a hat. It's not that I'm sad, it’s that I lost my armor — I’m raw to the pain and joy in the world. The funny thing is, I like myself better this way. I’m more compassionate, less arrogant, gentler, and willingly drop everything when someone needs me. I see God’s power pour through the pieces of my broken heart into the lives of the people around me. It makes me wonder if there really was any room for him before.
Wow thank you so much for being vulnerable with me ♥️
I deeply enjoyed reading this and these Toni Morrison quotes are gonna go in my quotebook.
I’m so immersed in her words that I’ve decided July is dedicated to her work
I’ve been staring at my Toni Morrison book stack with a similiar intention
Yeah it needs a chunk of time for me to just lay in and receive
Robert, I too, am one of your new followers. I was drawn to your gratitude and love for what I have always considered the ordinary miracles of daily life - the things that nourish us like food and books, flowers and long walks. I make time for gratitude for those things in my own life. But I have always had enough to eat and was always able to get Scholastic books as a kid. You remind us that nothing is to be taken for granted, and I am grateful for THAT! Thank you. I look forward to following you on your journey. Thank you for inviting us.
Oh hi and welcome! Thank you for your thoughts also
You are truly a lovely soul and a touchingly soft masculine voice. Thank you
I needed to hear that today. Thank you
“The sting of lack” resonates so deeply for me. I love your appreciation of the simple things mixed with the ongoing practice of deleting texts every week — deep gratitude without attachment, a blank canvas every week.
A friend recently shared an affirmation with me, “show me how good it can get!!” ~ this sentiment is one I wish for you, me, all of us who have been without and are welcoming a season of with 🤍✨ big love to you, thank you!
A blank canvas…so beautifully said!
“One thing that helps me cultivate gratitude is to delete my text messages every week.”
Robert, but then how do you reference important messages or maybe go back to important messages that you may have forgotten?
I’m not that important so I don’t tend to get sensitive information via text. By Sunday I try to reply to anything important and have never needed to reference something that was said later
🥹❤️🔥
'Ah love, let us be true to one another.....' Dover Beach by Matthew Arnold
Thankyou.
Thanks so much sharing. These things not only fulfill us and bring us joy. Wonderful to hear your perspective
🙏🏾
What a beautiful and touching piece, Robert. Damn. Your words made me ache and want to send you flowers every day. I love and respect your approach and framing of your life. Thank you for sharing your tenderness with all of us. 🩷💐🌷
🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹 thank you
Brother Robert, you preach a better gospel than half the bishops I’ve met.
This is the life: books on shelves, flowers on tables, tears that have taught you tenderness. The monks say that the simple life is not the lesser life—it is the life that remembers what matters.
And deleting those texts? Now that’s a spiritual practice I can get behind. Make room for grace. Make room for joy. Ain’t no life like the one you got—and thank you for letting us glimpse its hard-earned beauty.
—Virgin Monk Boy
Absolutely love this and definitely caught the song reference! One of my favorites! I'm new here, and I have to say, I'm proud of you! You've raised yourself up even through adversity. I'm in a similar way and appreciate seeing others who also choose to thrive rather survive or fail.
The joy of being human is truly felt in the simplest of things. A full life is lived simply.
This is such a “heart space” post. It feels all green and pink. Thank you for writing this. Thank you for healing others with your words. Thank you for inspiring me today. I hope to be like you someday.
Thank you, Robert, for sharing the gentle reminder to cherish the ‘little’ things. I was just having a conversation before reading this with someone who found out their lump in their leg was not cancer. She said ‘nothing else matters now, I can walk’.
Also omg! The deleting all texts each week to make room for the new!!!!! 🙏🏽 I’m going to try this! Feels scary but heck - love a jump into the unknown 😅