If you're coming to my blog hoping to find out about my recent marriage, you've come to the wrong place... you're most likely not going to get what you're looking for here.
What I've come to write about is related though.
As many of you know, I work for lululemon athletica here in Raleigh. 6 months ago I had just had my first interview with them and was learning about a company that I knew very little about. I knew I loved the woman who hosted my interview, and I did not like the other women who were in my group interview (oops!). The woman who hosted my interview is a woman named Jami, who I learned is the store manager. She was wearing a pineapple tank top and from Ohio- obviously we connected (or at least, I felt a connection).
Jami left shortly on maternity leave after I started at lulu, so we didn't have much of a chance to work together. One day before she left though, she was training me and had to excuse herself for a phone call, and afterwards, we had a moment that I will never forget. She talked about the power of living in possibility and how what I was doing was brave and she was so grateful I chose to join their team. For me, it was an incredible affirmation I needed at a time I was feeling very excited, but vulnerable with the choice I had made to leave my job at NC State.
Earlier this week, Jami suffered an unbelievable loss. Her husband passed suddenly. Jami is now raising their 3 beautiful little girls independent of her partner. I cannot even begin to imagine what the past week has been like for Jami.
But here's what I do know. Our store has grown closer. More hugs have been shared. Perspective has been gained in recognizing what really matters every day. A lot of things and feelings I haven't been able to exactly pinpoint just yet, but things just feel... different. (I know, great vocabulary word for a writer, right?)
One thing that has truly blown me out of the water is watching a site (youcaring.com) that was set-up to fundraise money to help Jami during this time. The goal was $20,000 to help with the girls and cover unexpected medical expenses.. The page is now at $37,000 in a matter of days. A page was set up to provide meal delivery and help with running errands and is full for the coming weeks (maybe even the end of the month). Caring, thoughtful, giving people are doing anything they can to provide help. Jami has surrounded herself with a phenomenal community. Who is giving. With nothing expected in return.
(Just typing that gave me goosebumps.)
Life isn't about placing expectations on each other. It's like Jami said, it's about living in possibility. About choosing faith and hope. And giving unabashedly. It's about loving with everything you have to give. Sharing life with others, knowing that tomorrow may be different. Telling people that you appreciate and value them (and what you value about them). It's about those relationships and the meaning they carry in your heart.
That, is the heart of the matter. And that's what I've been trying to commit my life to, and what I will continue to focus on.
'Each friend represents a world in us, a world not born until they arrive, and it is only by meeting this person that a new world is born.' -Anais Nin
What I've come to write about is related though.
As many of you know, I work for lululemon athletica here in Raleigh. 6 months ago I had just had my first interview with them and was learning about a company that I knew very little about. I knew I loved the woman who hosted my interview, and I did not like the other women who were in my group interview (oops!). The woman who hosted my interview is a woman named Jami, who I learned is the store manager. She was wearing a pineapple tank top and from Ohio- obviously we connected (or at least, I felt a connection).
Jami left shortly on maternity leave after I started at lulu, so we didn't have much of a chance to work together. One day before she left though, she was training me and had to excuse herself for a phone call, and afterwards, we had a moment that I will never forget. She talked about the power of living in possibility and how what I was doing was brave and she was so grateful I chose to join their team. For me, it was an incredible affirmation I needed at a time I was feeling very excited, but vulnerable with the choice I had made to leave my job at NC State.
Earlier this week, Jami suffered an unbelievable loss. Her husband passed suddenly. Jami is now raising their 3 beautiful little girls independent of her partner. I cannot even begin to imagine what the past week has been like for Jami.
But here's what I do know. Our store has grown closer. More hugs have been shared. Perspective has been gained in recognizing what really matters every day. A lot of things and feelings I haven't been able to exactly pinpoint just yet, but things just feel... different. (I know, great vocabulary word for a writer, right?)
One thing that has truly blown me out of the water is watching a site (youcaring.com) that was set-up to fundraise money to help Jami during this time. The goal was $20,000 to help with the girls and cover unexpected medical expenses.. The page is now at $37,000 in a matter of days. A page was set up to provide meal delivery and help with running errands and is full for the coming weeks (maybe even the end of the month). Caring, thoughtful, giving people are doing anything they can to provide help. Jami has surrounded herself with a phenomenal community. Who is giving. With nothing expected in return.
(Just typing that gave me goosebumps.)
Life isn't about placing expectations on each other. It's like Jami said, it's about living in possibility. About choosing faith and hope. And giving unabashedly. It's about loving with everything you have to give. Sharing life with others, knowing that tomorrow may be different. Telling people that you appreciate and value them (and what you value about them). It's about those relationships and the meaning they carry in your heart.
That, is the heart of the matter. And that's what I've been trying to commit my life to, and what I will continue to focus on.
'Each friend represents a world in us, a world not born until they arrive, and it is only by meeting this person that a new world is born.' -Anais Nin
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