I love giving compliments. I’ve made a conscious effort to notice good things about people around me and point them out ever since I was in college. But I’m not as good at letting compliments in, for some reason.

I’ve been thinking lately about times I didn’t follow my heart.  About times I could hear a voice inside telling me something wasn’t right, but I chose to overlook it.

It started like every other drive to my son’s school.  We had just dropped my daughter off at her bus stop, and we were laughing, listening to music, and hoping to make it to his school on time.

Last Saturday, we said goodbye to our dog Lucy, who we’ve had for fourteen years, since a few short months after my husband and I got married.