It was just before we launched CliffTech full force into the market around April this year that Cliff and I were reading a book given to me by my friend Beach. She's someone I deeply respect and her placement in my life has been nothing short of genius. But that's a different story for another day. :)
So Cliff and I were reading Live What You Love in the midst of one of those times that comes with moments of insane enthusiasm and total pull your hair out stress. No one ever said being a self-employed household would be easy but we have always felt (and still feel) it's worth it! We still feel brave, we still feel inspired and we are living in the 'center of love' now more than ever.
I remember the night we finished Live What You Love, notes from an unusual life by Bob and Melinda Blanchard. I laid in bed next to my love as he read the last few pages. I felt the sides of my face go warm with tears rushing from the corners of my eyes, rolling into my ears and I knew I was right where I was supposed to be, hearing what I was supposed to hear. It was beautiful release.
Fast forward to last weekend! I was in SF with Leigh. We were in the Showroom taking orders for Curly Girl Design and in walks a couple. We are sitting down at a table and they join us. Pooped from having just flown from Florida they begin telling us about their day, their new line called Live What You Love and it dawns on me I KNOW WHO THESE PEOPLE ARE! And they are the coolest people ever and they are sitting right next to me! I felt my whole heart swell in delight. I'd devoured every word of their book, I knew their story and mere hours earlier was I telling Leigh about the book I'm writing and how I want to inspire people and teach them the art of happiness. AND now people who inspired me so very much with their book where AT MY TABLE! Life is supremely cool that way.
These are the words that sent me to tears that night and reassure me still:
Then, it seems, that the world said to us, you people will be bored silly with that road. And so along came Jesse's premature birth" (and in the Cliff and Lacy story along came my tracheal surgery and the same kind of clarity that Bob and Melinda found through their son's premature birth). " And away went our plans and in came complete surrender to the unknown. We replaced time lines and conventional choices with curiosity, dreams and add combinations of options that were perfect for us. If life could turn us so quickly we would just dance a little faster. If plans could crumble so dramatically, we would make sure that no matter what happened we'd be driven by our passion and the people and places we love."
Those words made me feel as if we weren't alone in our new endeavor with CliffTech. Isn't that what we all long for at some point? To know that someone has gone before us and done a version of what we are about to do and they lived to tell about it, they thrived, they continued on and they shared their story. And maybe, just maybe one day someone will feel their heart swell when they realize I was the one behind the words that touched them so genuinely!
Live What You Love and Bob and Mel's story gave us courage to push forward and leap at a time when we so needed the boost. They are the real deal. Authentic to the core and grounded in the truth of goodness and the promises they made to each other all those years ago in the hospital with their son. As Mel put it to me, in a world of people who zig they zag. Happily we zag too.
If you've not read their book(s) yet you must! They've done 5 so far (2 cookbooks).
Bob and Mel is was a total delight to meet you! Thank you so much for being you and living with passionate abandon. All my best to you as you continue to travel and promote your new line! Wishing you abundance and love.
With gratitude and inspiration,
Lacy
