It began out of necessity — “If You See Something, Say Something®” —  a national campaign to raise public awareness of the signs of terrorism. We’re nearing SeeSayDay, September 25th. It was established, as their website explains, because “We all have someone, or something, to protect.” 

And while I believe this is extremely important, I’d like to add a thought. What if we took this philosophy, this “If you see something, say something,” and used it in our daily lives, when what we saw was something good, someone beautiful…

I have never met her in “real life.” Only here on Facebook. My cousin, Shawn, introduced us. And from what I am reading in her recent posts, I will not be offered that chance of meeting her face to face. 

What I do know is this. She sat with my grandmother and made rugs. Quilts. Some might say, only making tiny artistic ripples in the small pond of Farwell, Minnesota. But the grace, and elegance she is showing in her final days is extraordinary. The words of peace and gratitude she is offering up, for me, has created a wave that reaches across the sea, and it is so very beautiful. If she ever had doubts about becoming an artist, let them end here. What I see is a gorgeous work of art. I see her, and I have to say something. I have to tell her, tell the world, that she matters. Thank you, Gloria.

Perhaps this is my daily campaign. To show you the people that I think ARE REALLY SOMETHING!  The SeeSayDay urges us to “get involved.” I guess I’m doing the same. Because I agree, we do have a duty to protect each other from the evil of this world. But perhaps just as important, we have the privilege of shining the light on the best of us. We have a grace to protect.

Today, if you are met with kindness, with love, with beauty of any kind — and I pray that you are — please, please say something!