Theo of Golden: A Life That Turns the World Golden

Have you ever read a book and felt as though you actually knew the character? As though he had somehow become family?

That was Theo of Golden for me.

And then I realized why: Theo reminded me of the way Jesus moved through the world.

He was quiet and observant. Kind and compassionate. He knew when to stay, when to walk away and when to rest. He was mysterious, yet somehow everyone knew and loved him.

And giving? My golly, was that man giving.

Of course, I cannot tell you what he gave or how he gave it without spoiling the story. But Theo was richly blessed—and he used those blessings to become a blessing to others.

That is the legacy I want to leave.

When my time on this beautiful earth is over, I want people to remember how I changed their lives for the better. I want them to remember that I showed them the art of being present—of seeing a person’s soul and humanity.

I want people to say:

Amy knew me.

She knew when I was sad, and she showed me kindness and loved me.

She knew when I was angry, and she showed me compassion and loved me.

She knew when I was excited, and she celebrated with me.

She knew when I was lonely, and she sat beside me and loved me.

She knew me at my ugliest and did not judge me. She knew me in my finest moments and was proud to know me and celebrate me.

That is who Theo was.

This is a book everyone should read. And I say that using a word I rarely use: should. But truly, everyone should read this book.

When I finished it, I was genuinely sad that Theo was fictional. I wanted him to be real.

This world needs Theo.

Theo had the gift of seeing people through their portraits. He could slow down long enough to really see the human being in front of him.

I want that gift.

The truth is, I hate art galleries. But this book made me want to challenge myself to visit a gallery or two this year—to slow down, stand still and truly look.

Because that is the real gift: presence.

Be present.
Be giving.
Change lives.

What a legacy that would be.

And not merely with the people who look, think and live like us. Theo saw all kinds and colors of people: rich, poor, homeless, angry, intoxicated, mentally ill, differently abled—and people who appeared perfectly ordinary.

What would happen if we all did that?

That is what Theo taught me. Who would have thought a fictional character could teach me so much about being human?

The heart behind this book is something we all need. It is a story about choices, and Theo’s choices revealed the life he had decided to live: generous, creative, kind, selfless and filled with love.

Love for God.
Love for people.
Love for creation.

And this way of living had become a habit.

Find delight in life like Theo, and watch the world turn golden.

Because suffering, betrayal, disappointment and death are all around us. But if we choose to offer a little more love—and strengthen that love through habit—we can learn to delight in loving others.

We do it through the little, nameless and often unremembered acts of kindness we choose every day.

We listen.

We speak words of affirmation.

We pay attention.

We become present.

And we can do these things anywhere. If we each build one little bridge, perhaps life could become so much more golden—one person and one unlikely friendship at a time.

Get to know people up close. Hear their stories.

Be like Theo. Be like Jesus.

Both spent time with people who were overlooked, dismissed or misunderstood. They reached across the divides created by status, reputation, age, ability and circumstance.

Be willing to sit with the messy, the cranky, the depressed, the frightened, the guarded, someone much older or younger, or someone who looks and acts differently from you. Spend time with someone whose political, cultural or religious beliefs are unlike your own.

You do not have to agree with someone to see their humanity.

Pay attention. Be kind. Say something life-giving.

These are choices available to every one of us, and we can make them anywhere—even on a park bench.

Sit down. Share a little of your story, but begin by listening to theirs.

Reach across the divide. Let’s build bridges in this world.

What a gift that would be—to ourselves, to one another, to Theo, to his creator Allen Levi, to God and to this beautiful universe.

Amen.

My daddy always said, “Duck, it is the law of radiation and attraction. What you give to this world, you will receive in return.”

So, my dear friend, go find a park bench or an open chair. Share a story with someone. Listen to theirs. See them in the truest sense of the word.

And watch the face of heaven touch you in return.

Go get this book or click the link below—and let’s all choose to become a little more like Theo.