I put an ad in a holiday concert program every year and the headline for this year’s ad was 'Celebrating the Season of Friends, Family and Love' coupled with a lovely picture of a tree I decorated for a client. I thought about that all day and decided to reveal something personal with all of you that I hope you will share with others.
Not that long ago I had lost my job as a Creative Director at an ad agency, like so many others, the tragic year of 9-11. Within a year I ran out of savings, lost every possession I had … I didn’t have money for food. It was very serious. That year for Christmas I wasn’t able to purchase gifts, but decided to give a special gift to everyone … a special gift of love.
With pen in hand I wrote a note to everyone on my Christmas list. I revealed one loving memory I had of time spent with the person to whom the letter was addressed. Topics ranged from a special dinner, a pillow fight, a meaningful conversation, a trip shared and a time that one was there for the other. Whatever the memory, I wrote it down. Each letter was carefully thought about, written and sealed. It was the best Christmas I ever had.
As a successful interior designer now, I’m known as a purveyor of things. But I'm reminded in this holiday season as we all long for our troops to be safe, the bullying of people and children stopped, the end of foreclosures and job loss, that I concentrate on what really matters: Friends, Family and Love.
Monday, I’ll share someone special in my life as through her friendship I’ve received bounties of encouragement, designer insight, and lots of laughter. I can’t wait to share her with you.
