Ode to Barrie

Since we deal in affirmation and encouragement at Gently Spoken, we throw around words like “inspiring” a lot. But the other day, I spoke with someone who truly defines the word through her thoughts and actions. Her name is Barrie, and she’s about as close to an angel on earth as you can get. At one point in our conversation, I told her I’d feel set for life if I could muster even a small percentage of her compassion and positive energy. In response, Barrie started laughing. “Not if you’d had to live the life I’ve had to get it!” she replied. But let me back up.

We first met Barrie some seven months ago, after she’d come across a copy of our book Eat Your Peas for Me. The uplifting, self-loving message really resonated with her, and she needed a new book to pass out to people in need since her previous choice, Love Letters from God, was now out of print. It’s not uncommon for readers to stock up on their favorite Eat Your Peas books to give to friends and family, but what makes Barrie unique is her affinity for identifying strangers in need of a pick-me-up. During our most recent conversation, she said she wakes up each morning with one goal: to do everything she can to overcome her own worries by helping others. In the retirement complex of nearly 600 people where she resides, Barrie is known as a friend and healer. (“You can go now,” one such friend informed the emergency personnel trying to assist her. “Barrie’s here!”)

Barrie’s philosophy, informed through her life experiences and deep faith, is that all most people need to feel good is for someone to listen—really listen—to them. In my work as Gently Spoken’s customer service manager and resident (unlicensed) psychologist, I can vouch for the veracity of her claim. Prior to joining the team here, I spent my early college years working in an academic support center as a tutor, and I saw first hand that what most students needed, even more than study skills, was to believe they could do well. Without that experience, it never would have occurred to me that so many people live in constant uncertainty of their abilities (I lack this uncertainty not because I’m a super genius, but because I absolutely refuse to fail). Barrie’s made it her life’s work to seek out these distressed people and offer them hope and encouragement through tokens, conversations, and handmade reminders.

We’re truly honored to have such an amazing woman utilize our simple, sweet little book in her goodwill ministry. She’s living proof that kind gestures both large and small really do make a difference in the world. 

-T-