Earnestness was clearly important to Amy Krouse Rosenthal, as evidenced by this quote from her book “Textbook Amy Krouse Rosenthal.” The small, quiet humanity of everyday life sparked profound feelings in the Chicago writer, and earnestness is certainly a hallmark of her body of work. This observation of the unsung ways people try to find and make meaning in their lives is simple, yet poignant. Rosenthal’s words aren’t just a reminder that even small, ordinary efforts have meaning; they also illuminate the shared striving of people everywhere waiting to be seen, felt, connected with, and celebrated.