New Beginnings; Joy Through Pain

Beginnings can be scary, and ending are usually sad. But it’s the middle that counts the most. I reference that line from the movie “Hope Floats” because I think it’s a true statement for most people; not just a hyper-anxious human like me. Leaving Blacksburg after seven years and starting our new venture as Laaser’s Ladybug Society was incredibly tough. We have experienced a lot of doubt and stressful periods. Some days it felt like too much and impossible for Jon and I to handle on our own. However, I’ve learned that we aren’t doing this on our own.

What’s gotten me through these past six months has been the support and encouragement from others. Votes of confidence from our families and friends have impacted us more than I could ever articulate. Many have purchased our shirts online and shared our social media posts or blogs (hint, hint;-). We also made the deliberate move to return to Richmond to reconnect with old friends and former colleagues that helped us rekindle an instant community. We didn’t realize at the time how much we needed that. We came back to Richmond after being in a very small town; a place where you know everyone and can walk to most of the shops and restaurants we would frequent. It was commonplace to walk into a bar and know at least 15 people there (bartenders and patrons) and feel surrounded by friendly faces. So leaving Blacksburg was a bit like coming back to earth. Luckily, it was a soft landing since we decided on a former home and, I can’t stress this enough, back to Wawa territory.

Another expression that’s been on the top of my mind is that some people are in your life for a reason, and some people are in your life for a season. Between recently celebrating a birthday and restarting/resetting our lives, I’ve come to realize who those particular people are that came into our lives for a reason and those are the ones who remain. The others who are left in the past will stay in the past. We can still appreciate the contributions that they’ve made and how they’ve impacted us, but we still know that time in our life is over. The same way packing to move tends to coerce you to trash or donate items; it makes you appreciate what you chose to keep. It helps you clear out “the clutter” in all aspects.   

I still vacillate between optimism and doubt. I try to hide my fear and skepticism, but Jon has most of my facial expressions and their underline meaning figured out (I should never play poker). We cheer and briefly celebrate every donation, big or not so big. We try to make it a point to reflect on where we are now compared to how this all got started. I’m grateful that we decided on Richmond and a community we’re both familiar with. This return to our second home helped remind us what we’re capable of and that we’re not doing this on our own.

But ultimately, I try to remember our namesake, the ladybug, and the reason we chose it for our name. When you see a ladybug, it means to have faith and remain hopeful. Joy is coming your way.

Jon’s Note: Joy came very quickly. It is Taco Tuesday at our new office : )