My WHY
Since I was a little girl, I have known who I am. I had posters covering my half of the room that I shared with my brother of the cutest harp seals with their furry, snow-white coats and big, round eyes. No matter how adorable they were, the reality was, they were being clubbed to death for their furs. This outraged me. Feeling totally devasted, I would tell anyone who would listen that we had to do something. We had to go and save those precious seals. Yes, the little girl living in Seattle, WA had to get to the Antarctica and stand up to those mean people who were doing such horrible things.
These were the years before the internet existed, so The National Geographic magazines were my lifeline long before Right On or Teen Beat. A time where going to the Antarctica seemed inconceivable. Totally out of reach. So, I was encouraged to move on from this passion to something more "realistic".
From that point on, I wanted to save every stray cat, dog, squirrel I saw if I thought it was lost. When my parents would drive downtown in the evening seeing ladies standing around on the corners or an elderly person appearing to struggle, I wanted to help.
I had no idea then, but I was an empath in the making. I just knew before my 50th birthday, I had to honor what comes naturally to me, so decided to follow my heart and start living the life I want. A life on my terms and designed by me based on who I truly am. Not who I thought I was supposed to be or to standards set by others. This process started several years ago, and I see it unfolding beautifully every day.
This year I have experienced too many loved ones who have passed away. One of my sisters, dear friends old and new. Each funeral I sat in, besides the feeling of sadness, there was this burst of inspiration. The best way for me to honor my loved ones who are no longer with us is to live my best life because they are no longer here to live theirs. A girlfriend's brother recently passed of ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease. At his home-going service, I was overwhelmed with all kinds of emotions. As tears flowed freely down my cheeks, I thought of his family, all the many friends that filled up the high school gymnasium and marveled at what a wonderful life they presented through video and speakers. He survived for 7 years and accomplished so much during this time, it made me think of my own life. What am I doing? What's holding me back?
If you feel the same way and need a tribe to bounce ideas off of, a safe place to share your thoughts, ideas, get inspired and discover new ways of looking at a situation, I hope I am able to provide that space.
Thank you for your time as it is precious, I am appreciative.
"Together we can do remarkable things" Marc West
