A Note of Encouragement

No matter the season..

I thought I’d hop on here today and lend a little encouragement for the times.

I am an extremely blessed person. In fact, my personal belief is that anyone who is living in America is far more blessed than most places in the world. Our country was built on people coming for the dream. The dream to succeed, based on the freedom to do so. That’s big and for a long time now, it’s been very doable and available to anyone that works hard enough.

In today’s season, many young people are scrambling for a job, career path, passion and/or something to fill the promise of a future. Many people have lost hope. Everything they had worked for went with a world pandemic, loss of a job, schooling, business, career, loved one. The elderly and many young teens were left lonely, confused and fearful. None of this is new to the seasons of life. Wars, disasters, pandemics.

I can remember the desire to do more as a young 30 year old, with two small busy children. I was often on my own, with them, from very early in the morning until 8-9 p.m. as my husband worked ungodly hours trying to build a small business and there was very little support system around me. It felt like that job where there was no room for extra.

I decided that I could sell Avon. It was 1991, and when my mom did it, it was 1968. I often went to her customer’s homes and watched them browse through the Avon book as mom got to know them. We might even get a refreshment. Delivery day was fun, as I helped her pack and staple the Avon bags full of creams, perfumes and makeup. Mom’s part-time “Avon round” gave her some friends and a little community. Plus she did it from home. Mom loved people, makeup, perfume and fashion.. so it was perfect. She was so proud to earn money for us and got a little discount for herself. We got a lot of Avon gifts for birthday and Christmas and I loved it. Mom had some fascinating customers like the one who sewed all the costumes for the Ice Capades! One time a customer asked my mom if we wanted a kitten? She took me to the home and I got to choose my first cat from a huge litter of fluffy grey kittens! I chose the shy one in the corner and named him Alfie. He lived for 22 years and passed away just before I became a very short-lived “Avon Lady.”

I signed up, excited to make new friends, loaded my toddler into our stroller, armed with water, snacks, Avon books, a short friendly spiel and a little boy walking by my side. We didn’t have cell phones back then, just my watch telling me what time I needed to get home to do naps or make dinner. I started in the summer so we walked in the early morning or late afternoon when it was cool and more people were home.

I walked and walked through our neighborhood, for weeks. Most people that were home, hid behind their screen-doors, afraid to speak to me and were often rude. Many a door were slammed in our faces, many people yelled from closed doors for us to go away. I was given several blocks across from my neighborhood, just a stones throw.

Much like today where you have no way of putting on your best clothes, shaking a potential employer’s hand, telling them you would love to work for them., you are at the door or mercy of your computer or phone. You slip your resume’ under, hoping it gets a glance., or maybe a real person will be nice enough to get back to you.

Just when I think that things are new, as I keep resonating in my stories, they are not. Slightly humiliated, but not one to give up easily, I used this experience as an early lesson for my children in kindness, yet also talked to them about fear and being more aware of our surroundings. Perhaps I was a bit naive and thought I could be just like my mom. As is the present, the times were hesitant with door-to-door sales people. It was a bit sad and in a way I’m glad my children were too young to remember. As they got older I did tell them that not every door will open. Some doors will be slammed and some windows will open for a bit. It has nothing to do with their worth and more to do with timing and purpose. Just don’t give up.

I would go on to ask a crafty friend of mine to create clothing pieces with me. We both had sewing machines and we had this idea to take men’s suit vests and jackets, turning them into oversized vintage pieces for women. I loved fashion, textiles and antique buttons. Our open houses were fun and we grew to host other crafters and bakers. For a few seasons it gave us a sense of community, while at the same time we were contributing a little extra money to the bits and pieces of our daily family needs. Our holiday boutiques were the best!

In fact, the woman who helped build the home I live in, brick by brick, the mom of 4., who loved Jesus, and hosted youth groups, also hosted floral arrangement boutiques every year for years. To this day I get mail for her from floral shops that still exist, where she would also sell her creations. She passed away many years ago and I think of her every time I’m in the garden and how she did things, like my mom, to keep her own identity in tact. I think of her and her plumber husband and how hard they worked to achieve their dreams.

The point of my story is “belief.” Then comes “passion.” If you’re not passionate about what you are doing, then find a way to be passionate about the people you work with, the product you sell, the blessing of having work. Other doors will open. This could be your stepping stone to what you really dream about. We live in impatient times.

I have been surrounded by passionate believers my whole life. Not necessarily believers in God, but funny enough, believers in God-given purpose, scrambling at surviving., longing to be a part of something. Creativity, community, worth. Belief in a country to provide possibility. My dad’s belief that we could come to America and make it. I guess I should be grateful to God for the depth of my observation. For my husband’s “belief” and decision to “choose” against his odds to make it. Raised by a single mom, left to his own devices, he saw opportunity and kept knocking down doors until he succeeded. All of the men and women in my life never gave up. They had a grit that came from loss and hardship and although that was not my beginning it was passed down that it would be in my bones. The grit to see and believe . To do what you think you can do. See it in front of you. Pray about it. Create it. It’s how, at 39 years old, with 3 children, I decided I could become a professional photographer. That’s wild and I didn’t take a dime from us to buy my first used professional camera kit. I wanted this, and when you want something you will be patient. I borrowed, carried bags, learned, earned, saved and waited. I asked for money for my birthday and Christmas, just like when I wanted our first family computer. I had a “Computer Fund” envelope for several years of birthdays and Christmases.

To this day, at 60, my husband still works long hours trying to keep our little business going and we will celebrate BIG, the day he gets to retire. For today’s small business owners, retirement is 65. But.. he is a passionate electrician. He’s passionate at all he does and keeps working hard despite how hard it is out there. We have almost lost everything and each other. But we get back up. We believe we can stay in the arena until we can’t anymore.

After 20 years as a part-time professional photographer, I am mostly retired, yet still passionate about taking pictures. I have a wealth of friends and stories just from work. Now I’m writing, and despite my lack of experience and the bazillion writers out there, I just want to try because I believe that grief lead me here. Grief stops you in your tracks and my purpose was not to stop longer than the season allowed for. I headed a call to move. Deep discernment will tell you when that is happening.

God is never through with us, no matter our age. Never let go of that, no matter the season, no matter the circumstance.

You were beautifully made for every season of life. Keep this near your heart til the day you take your last breath

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