Our Southern Souls Sunday

Welcome to Our Southern Souls Sunday. I’m glad you’re here. This week’s stories are about art, bikes, blessings, and knowing your worth.

“I’m starting over and moving to a different state.  I designed this shirt for my new life.”

Click here to read her story

“I painted with words before I ever picked up a paintbrush. When I was a school teacher, creative writing was my love and gift. I visualized, sketched, and doodled, but never knew I was an artist. Then, my body went south in 2003 with a degenerative disc disease. There were years of surgeries, screws, plates, therapies and meds. Financial and mental struggles. I suffered from depression and substance abuse. I was on fourteen different medicines, including morphine, every day. It was too much. I was laying in bed all the time and turned to books on watercolor for something to do. I kept drawing, painting, and working with imagery because it was stimulating–with colorful little bits and blobs. I quit writing, but a new seed was planted. My therapist told me I was going to have to paint my way out of this.”

Click Here to read Ardith’s story

Flashback

The lives of others around us, even strangers, can light the way for our own paths. I’ve learned a lot about staying married and dealing with death from Souls. Here are two stories from the first year of Souls. One rides her motorcycle for children; the other is a couple who has been married for 46 years–they got it right the second time.

"I own my own wallpapering business and I am a woman in a man’s construction world, I have to be tough. The loss of my daughter is the toughest thing I have been through. She was 26, my only child, and just starting her life. It was a horrible accident. She stopped by a party on the way home. Someone spiked her punch and she had an allergic reaction and instead of calling for help, they left her. My baby died afraid and alone by herself.”

Click here to read her story.

“Material things don’t mean much. Those pants she has on are over 20 years old. In the evening, I have dinner ready for us when she gets home. After dinner, we get in our recliner and talk and that is the height of our day. There were 200 boat trailers on the Causeway today, but I don’t want to go fishing, I want to be with her. She held my hand the whole way over here. We get up every morning at 5:00 and pray for 30 minutes. She gets ready as fast as a man can. We have a good life together.”

Click here to read their story.

From Lynn

The first boxes of Our Southern Souls, Vol. II have arrived, and they look fantastic! Tonight's launch is going to be a wonderful evening with Stories Matter: A Night with Ardith Goodwin and Lynn Oldshue. Tickets are just $24, and you can snag the Souls book for only $15 at the event—all proceeds will support the Love All Food Pantry during this Thanksgiving season.

Camm Lewis will be opening the night, and there are a few delightful surprises in store, too. I have a feeling we’ll all leave feeling a little more hopeful. Hope to see you there.

 Here’s the link to tickets and event info.

Here’s a sneak peek at the new Souls book. You can order it online here. It should also be in local book stores in Fairhope and Mobile by the end of next week.

Thank you for sharing a part of your Sunday with Souls. If you have suggestions for folks I should talk to, email me at [email protected].  Have a great week!

If you know someone who would enjoy Our Southern Souls Sunday forward them this newsletter and ask them to hit the subscribe button.