i had a full circle moment last evening here in north carolina. and it was good. so good.
back when john and i were planning our wedding, we looked all over for the perfect wedding favors. after several weeks of thinking, considering, and searching, we walked into a wonderful little boutique owned by mary anne radmacher on broadway street in portland, oregon. i was instantly smitten with mary anne’s shop filled to the brim with nothing but her artwork – lovely handwritten messages of courage and hope on journals, small posters, cards, you name it. now this was way before i discovered my art or writing life, but something pulled me into her words and how she so beautifully displayed them on her products. i was e.n.a.m.o.r.e.d.
i knew within 2 seconds of being in her store that i wanted to somehow have her poetic messages as our wedding favors – it was the perfect energy for a lovefest. and so, we special ordered a hundred or so little cards (business card sized) with her handwriting – all little messages of love. each card was displayed in a sweet little trinket designed to hold a small photo or card. these sweet hope notes were perfect for our guest. perfect for our wedding. and they were a big hit, going straight into the hearts of all who attended. that was almost 9 years ago.
fast forward several years….mary anne closed her shop, but continued to write, create, and license her work. whenever i saw her words on various product, i always smiled wide with an understanding that she was a dear soul out there in the world speaking her truth and encouraging others to do the same. and i was just so happy to have had that chance encounter with her so many years before.
then last year, when i signed on with brush dance, i was tickled that mary anne was one of their artists and thought how funny it was that all of these years later i had found my voice and was working as an artist and writer – just like her.
then today, as i was having a glass of wine with anne + julie (the ladies from demdaco responsible for my wall art line), her name came up, and i told them the story of her old store, meeting her so long ago, how she did the special order for our wedding, our both working with brush dance, and how i always loved her work, her words, and spirit. then anne pulled out her cell phone and called mary anne – just like that. called her. they’re friends. who knew! and so, i got on the cell and told mary anne my story of coming into her shop (she remembered our special wedding order) almost nine years ago, how i’ve always remembered her, and how i’ve always loved her writing, and her books (especially this one which i gave to many friends for christmas last year). i told her how i too work with brush dance and how i too have a love for words now and how i too work with demdaco. i told her how she’s been this big inspiration for me, in the backdrop of my life, a vague mentor encouraging me to use my words and to speak my truth. she said to me, in the most tender of ways, that she was proud of me for following my heart and for doing what i love. just like that. stranger to stranger, but it meant so much. and the best part? she lives really really close to me (a ferry ride away). i have a feeling we’ll close the almost ten year gap and meet again one day soon.
these are the full circle moments that remind me that nothing is by chance. something in her sparked something in me – even before i knew what i could do. i was inspired by what she was doing. something called me. something about her. we really are all intertwining in this life, spirits connected in moments that suspend and transcend. it’s the coolest thing ever.
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