Do you have a theme of the year? Or, maybe a word of the year? Mine is USHER…not after the singer, but after the person who has a flashlight at a theater or Las Vegas show. I want to be a light illuminating the path for others, just like an usher. But, what if your light is dimmed? This week I had some shocking news of the sudden death of a good friend and industry colleague. I’m still in shock and feeling sad. But, I had made this word as my theme so it made me think…how can I be an usher for others? How can I shine a light for others when my own light is a bit dimmer today in light of this tragic news? I did three specific things that may help you if you’re feeling down.
1. I reached out to trusted friends. We talked about loss, and love and how special our friend Sarah was to us. The shared pain and sorrow actually helped deal with the shock.
2. I went through years of photos and texts and shared videos of my friend, to remind me of our good times together and how special she was.
3. I wore pink. Yup. Even though I felt like wearing my flannel jammies all day and lay on the couch. Instead, I put on a mint t-shirt under a flowered jacket. It sounds silly, but it helps me stay up when I didn’t feel like it.
Here’s the video of my front-row Friday message. And, please remember, when you are faced with loss, it’s okay to reach out to someone to ask for help or encouragement. If you don’t have anyone to call, please call me.
Your head usher, trying to keep that light shining,
Marilyn
