Luddeke

Spreading kindness is so desperately needed in the world we live in today. I hope it serves as a reminder to me on days when I need reminding!

My bracelet was given to me by Desirae Luddeke, the best friend of my (favorite) cousin Lilia. Desirae is one of those people who I may have only spent about a week with ever in my life, but I see and feel her kindness for others in everything she does, especially for my cousin Lilia and Lilia's beautiful four year old daughter, Nova. I'm so grateful that Lilia (and Nova!) has friends like Desirae -- it truly takes a village to raise a child. Desirae gave me this bracelet at what feels like a crazy period in my life. The care and love I feel for my friends and family, from Nova and Lilia out in Hawaii, to my parents and brother in North Carolina, my cherished friends in New York, and all the way to my friends across the globe, makes me feel like my life can't get any fuller. But now I'm in my first serious relationship and I'm in the process of buying my first piece of real estate in NEW YORK CITY. This past week while Desirae, Lilia, Nova, and my mom were visiting me in NYC, we visited my potential new apartment with my boyfriend, and later proceeded to have a wonderful dinner with all of us: my best friend Nan, my friend Evan and his girlfriend Jess, and my best friend Cami from Mexico who was visiting New York with her husband Fer. The dinner table literally could not have been fuller -- no space on the table nor in our hearts left unfilled by wine, yummy food, sparkling laughter and hugs -- but then it somehow continues to grow as Cami tells me her and Fer just found out they are expecting their first child. What kind of life continues to grow in this way? I suppose everyone's, in their own way. Sometimes the growth evokes what feels like too many emotions to bear at the same time. Whether its my mix of emotions from excitement of buying my own apartment in NYC combined with my sadness of not living near my parents right now, or the sadness I feel to see Nova and Lilia go back to Hawaii combined with my complete awe that Cami and Fer are growing their family, I must accept that change is the only constant in life. Change never has to be permanent, its never guaranteed to be risk-free, but it does promise opportunity for growth and the ability to bring even more to your already full table of life. How blessed are we to live in this type of existence? The only further thing I can imagine to ask for is for myself and my loved ones who are able to affect change in the world -- from small decisions to global activism -- is to never forget that our most important role on this Earth is to continue to give back to those who are marginalized and mistreated by society. From pillaged Mother Earth to persecuted Palestinians on the Gaza Strip, lets never forget that our fortune blesses us with the responsibility to care for others. With peace and love, Chloe