Author | Lydia Rice, Charlie Prickles, and April Breedlove |
Lydia: As we were brainstorming this month’s theme, one shape came up a lot. The heart, inspired by Valentine’s Day, was the main thing on our white board and we started slinging around ideas. Obviously, a big suggestion was relationships and then Abigail suggested loving yourself. Both of these ideas got me thinking in a more literal sense. What does it mean when we say someone has heart? It means we think they have strength of spirit, that they have convictions, courage, and resilience. And so, February’s theme of “Have Heart” was born. For me, this is a dual message of encouragement and empowerment. It’s taking time to work on areas where you are weak and be a better person, but it’s also taking pride in your strengths. As we finish this month, just remember that it doesn’t have to be love yourself OR love other people. It can be a tricky balance but you can do both! (And yes, I had to include the Harry Potter quote, but we compiled the whole gallery of admittedly cliche quotes for you to enjoy!)
Charlie Prickles: It’s your local cactus here. Now this theme really put me in a prickle (pun intended, pun always intended). See, a little known fact of cactus anatomy is that we don’t have hearts, but we do have roots. And in my opinion, the key to truly having heart is to stay rooted in who you are. Having strength of spirit doesn’t necessarily mean having a strong personality. It doesn’t mean you have to be the loudest voice in the room or have the biggest ideas or strongest opinions. Having heart, having Strength of spirit, can be the quiet decision to stand by your convictions and that comes from being sure of who you are. But don’t take my word for it. Our writers have come up with so many great interpretations of the theme, so go out and read them!
April: The word “heart” is usually associated with two different meanings. One being the physical organ that pumps blood throughout our bodies and keeps us alive, and the other being one’s innermost character and feelings. For this issue’s theme, “Have Heart,” we decided to go for the less literal definition of the word, and every writer interpreted this theme in their own, unique way. To “have heart” can mean many different things such as being compassionate, strong, or loving, and every single writer approached this theme from a different angle. So I hope that after you have read these articles, you are able to better understand what it means to “have heart,” and able live out that meaning in your own day to day life.