There was a party just down the street from our house this weekend. I was outside working on my lawn (and believe me, it needs work!), listening to some great music and a rockin’ DJ. Later, while walking Ryder, I came across some words written in different colored chalks on the street near where the party had been held. There were lots of words — and naturally, the wordsmith in me felt compelled to puzzle them out. They were a bit faint, here and there, but with a bit of work, I was able to decipher them. They were so inspiring that I ran back to my house and got a pen and paper to write them down. Here they are (just imagine them in rainbow chalk colors — pink, blue, orange, green):

To every soul a star.
Just believe in who you are.
Have an adventure every day.
Do what you love, not what
Make music. Make art. Write
stories you can tell. Do
something brave and something
stupid. Fall in love as well.
As someone wise once told me,
you are only happy if you live.
And to live, you must take
chances. Make mistakes and
then forgive!

Aren’t words wonderful? I have no idea who this inspired scrivener was — perhaps a teacher, since the party was to celebrate an outstanding educator. Or maybe it was a mom or dad. But whoever it was, there’s a lot of wisdom packed into this little chalky challenge to live the good life and do what we love. I pass it on to inspire you and me as well. And to remind us that words we stumble can sometimes make their way into our hearts and souls and give us the courage to do what matters most to us. So here’s to writing dangerously — whatever form it takes: chalk, computer, quill, crayon, capped pen, or clutched pencil. It’s the words that count — and words that connect us all. Write on!