Making a Difference

As you might imagine, my mind has been pretty full lately. Lots of things to think about relating to my day job.  Lots of things to think about relating to closing Zoe. Lots of things to think about that need done at home.  And lots of things to think about in regard to what comes next and how to fill the void that Zoe has filled for me these past 4+ years. I’ve searched for words to describe it (it seems I’m always searching for words these days) and “being at a crossroads” seems to fit every aspect of my life.

I made a quick stop at Zoe early on Wednesday morning on my way to work.  I had a couple of administrative things to take care of and I wanted to grab any trash and boxes from the back.  As is usual, Tara had put the mail that had come in on my desk.  Advertisement.  Advertisement.  Personal Letter from California.  Wait.  Personal Letter from California?  What’s this?  I know people in California but this address didn’t look familiar.

I was in a hurry but, hey, we get so few personal letters these days it warranted my time to open it.  Inside was a beautiful handwritten note from a young lady who had stumbled on Zoe’s blog when working on opening a store in Southern California.  As I read her words, I remembered corresponding with her a few times early on in Zoe’s infancy.  She had been interested in opening a store and had been so excited to find a blog that was honest, upfront, and unabashed in the descriptions of the joys and pitfalls of opening a bricks and mortar store.

She now has a store of her own. She was saddened to hear that Zoe was closing and wanted to let me know how much I had helped her. I won’t lie – the tears started flowing and they did not stop for 20 minutes.  Because if I had to sum it up in just a few words what I want to be remembered for in life, it is making a difference for someone else. When I started Zoe, I looked at it as that chance to truly make a difference in this world. That note spelled it out for me in black and white – I had made a difference for someone, somewhere with Zoe.

Lilly, I hope you are still reading Zoe’s blog. Thank you for making my day. And for making a difference for me.