Lena’s Picks: Just Tryin’ To Matter

I loved Reese Witherspoon’s comment in her Oscar acceptance speech that, like June Carter Cash, she was “just trying to matter.” When she said this, I honestly felt something inside me say, “Yes! That’s it!” To matter — that’s what I am trying to do.

For a long time, I have been grappling with what I should be doing with my life and whether staying home with Keilan is “enough” or if there is something I am supposed to be doing that I am simply missing. I think it has been my greatest fear that there is a plan for me and I am just completely missing it.

Since my grandfather died, this struggle has become a little less for me. As I reflected on his life and what he meant to so many, I realized that although he didn’t go out and change the world or do “big things” that the world would notice, he touched so many lives by smiling, laughing and caring for everyone with whom he came in contact. He was important to others. His life had influence on others. His life mattered in every sense of the word — to his family, his friends and his community. Grandpa knew this was what was important. My Mom gets it too, I can tell. And now, so do I.

So, I am going to try to stop searching for the “grand plan” and and try simply “to matter” to those I love.

Definition of matter: affect, be important, be substantive, carry weight, . . . have influence . . . mean something . . . value. (see thesaurus.reference.com).

I’ve decided to do something I have never done before — sell a t-shirt of my own design! Here it is:

I’m doing this for a number of reasons:

1. I wanted a t-shirt that said “just tryin’ to matter” , so I decided to make one. The creation of the tee shirt is in honor of my Grandpa.
2. I decided that if I would like this shirt, maybe others would as well.
3. I want to do something that “matters” with the profit from any t-shirt I sell. I have decided to start by donating all the profits from the sale of each shirt to the American Cancer Society.
4. And finally, I think the tee shirts are great! They are the Classic Girl American Apparel tees which are my favorite. So, they are great quality and a great fit.

If you would like to buy a t-shirt — I am selling them for $20. Just Click here to purchase.

I hope you like the shirts as much as I do!