Unwashable

I'm quite certain I'm not the only 50-something gal who earned my reading chops voraciously consuming the stories of a certain young female sleuth named Nancy Drew. Sometimes I wonder just how many hours I spent curled up under the covers in my bed with a flashlight long after I was supposed to be asleep reading every Nancy Drew book I could get my hands on. I vividly recall losing myself in the daring and often frightening adventures of the young detective as she solved mystery after mystery, catching more than her share of bad guys along the way. From The Secret of the Old Clock to The Bungalow Mystery to The Message in the Hollow Oak to The Phantom of Pine Hill to The Secret in the Old Attic to The Haunted Showboat and many others as well, those books became my refuge and the place where I could dream of one day being part of something bigger. Looking back, there's no doubt in my mind that young Nancy Drew played a huge role in developing my love for reading and even more ... even so very much more ... my love for writing as well.

A few months ago, I had the idea to start a book club in the office where I work, and I was excited when several people responded to my initial email asking if anyone was interested in joining the club. Since reading and editing is my job each day, I don't read for pleasure as much as I used to and I thought forming a book club would serve two purposes ... it would encourage me to read more outside of work, and it would help the participants get to know each other better outside of our daily work functions. We've just finished reading our third selection and are scheduled to meet tomorrow over lunch to discuss the book When I Found You by Catherine Ryan Hyde. I chose the book rather randomly, mainly because the author also wrote Pay It Forward, a book that has inspired thousands and perhaps even millions of people to perform random acts of generosity for others. When I Found You is most certainly another book that is sure to cause its readers to look outside of themselves and consider the importance of commitment, the necessity of loyalty and the rewards of unconditional love.

I won't spoil the story for you in case you choose to read the book ... which you most definitely should, by the way ... but I do want to share one of the many inspirational themes present in the story. The book tells the story of a man who finds a newborn baby boy abandoned in the woods while he's hunting ... actually, it's the man's dog who first discovers the baby and leads the man to the barely breathing infant. Again, I'm not going to spoil the book for you ... suffice it to say that the story unfolds in a way that I didn't expect it to, and it offers up many much-appreciated life lessons along the way. But it was the following handful of words spoken by the gentleman who found the baby that stuck to me like glue throughout the wide-ranging gamut of emotions I experienced as I read ... it was the following words that left an imprint on my heart in a big way. Powerful words of commitment and determination if ever I've heard any ... words that the man honored through both words and actions every single day. 

"I will never wash my hands of you."

Those words jumped off the page at me, but not for the reason you might expect. Those words jumped off the page at me because I've heard variations of them from people in my own life over the years ... from people who have lived up to those words and people who have not. That's a tough promise to make, you know ... to promise someone that you will never give up on them ... to promise you'll never let them give up on themselves. Making that kind of promise requires a depth of character and a level of integrity that many people sadly do not possess. Saying the words is easy ... it's living them out that's hard. Living them out means you honor your word and you keep your promise ... it means when things get tough, you don't run away ... it means caring about someone enough to do what you'll say you'll do ... forever. Some of the deepest sorrow I've felt and some of the greatest hurt I've experienced in life came from people who said, "I will never wash my hands of you" ... and then they did just that. But by the same token, some of the greatest joy and some of the most humbling moments in my life have come from people whom I've given every reason in the world to wash their hands of me a gazillion times over ... but they didn't. And you know what? I'm here today because they didn't.

Think about it, friends ... think about the person who needs you to say those words to them ... think about the person who needs to know you will always be there ... think about the person whose life you may save ... think about it a long, long, long time.

"I will never wash my hands of you."