I recently had to ask myself “how well am I living my life?” Would I be satisfied with my contributions to the world, how I’ve taken care of myself, and how much enjoyment I’ve created in my life if my time on earth came to an abrupt end? These questions were prompted by the sad news I received yesterday, for the third time in as many months.
Sharon and daughter Dee
My travel sisterhood just lost another member. Our group returned from Morocco only six weeks ago. While on that trip I had the pleasure of traveling with Sharon Ellison for the second time. Sharon first traveled with us to Dubai in 2019. I remember that group being an especially wonderful group of ladies to get to know, so I was delighted to spend time with Sharon again. This time she brought her daughter on the trip, and she was equally as sweet and pleasant as her mom. I’m happy that Sharon and her daughter took time out of life to enjoy and travel, and I’m grateful that I was able to assist in making that happen for them one last time.
Renee Farrell in our Greek Goddess photo shoot
This week our Greek Goddess 2 group returned home from an amazing island hopping experience. All I could think of, particularly while on the island of Santorini, was Renee Farrell. I first met Renee on my 2018 Essence Festival experience, and again when she joined us for her birthday in Sedona in 2019. We lost Renee just 7 weeks ago. The last time I saw her, we were sitting on the shore of the black sand beach behind our resort on Santorini (June 2019). I was just recovering from a debilitating gallbladder attack that caused me to arrive in Greece a day later than I had planned. She told me to prioritize my health and take care of my body. I’ve always been one to be very conscious of my diet, but my body, not so much, as I have a love hate relationship with any type of physical activity. So here I was again, on my way to Greece getting stopped by pain. This time it was sciatica, causing me to miss the first two days of the trip. While at the same resort where Renee and I last spoke, I got together with 8 of the ladies on the trip and we all made a commitment to improve our health. For some that meant to decrease stress. For others it meant to lose weight. For me it meant to honor and strengthen my body. I’m grateful to have gotten to know Renee, another extremely sweet soul. I will honor her memory by doing what she told me to do.
Natalie and mom Beverly (Mama Maroc)
In October 2018, I had the pleasure of traveling to Morocco with my Spelman sister Natalie, and her adorable mom Ms. Beverly, who quickly became known by some of the ladies on the trip as Mama Maroc. Ms. Beverly loved to cook, and the three of us took a cooking class together during the trip. Ms. Beverly later joined my online plant based cooking club where bonded over our love of cooking, as she would show up for my live cooking sessions eager to learn more. I last spoke with Ms. Beverly about a week before she passed 2 months ago. Another beautiful soul who brought joy to our group and I’m sure everyone around her, gone too soon.
Yesterday after I learned of the third Well Diva to pass away in three months, I had so many thoughts about life, and an urgency to live it and live it well. I’d like to think I’m already doing that, but I now feel a need to KNOW that I am. These losses made me stop for a moment and evaluate just how well I’m living, and what legacy I’m leaving. Like, how am I affecting those around me? And how well am I utilizing my gift of life? To get all of these thoughts out I just started writing and ended up with the following:
When I leave this earth I hope that I will have provided an outstanding example of how to do whatever the f*ck you want to do and enjoy life to the fullest. I hope I will have inspired someone to quit the job, start the business, take the trip, make a new friend, cut off a toxic one, set and enforce the boundaries even if you have to cuss somebody out. Don’t let no scared-to-live-life-mofo tell you what you can’t do. Take the compliment. Give yourself even more compliments. Pose the pose, eat the food, drink the wine, buy the bag, GET THE UPGRADE. Keep the hope and expect the best. Protect your peace and be your own biggest fan. Be SELF-ish with your time and your resources. Put you first. Prioritizing yourself is an act of self love. Being proud of yourself is an act of self love. Don’t let someone who doesn’t love them self shame you out of loving you. Don’t be afraid to be extra: extraordinary because ordinary will not be remembered. Sing the song. Ride the camel. Wear the outfit. Receive the love and give it too. Shoot your shot. Take the chance. Submit the application. Write the book. Accept the proposal. Get the divorce. Have/adopt the kid. Get the pet. Buy the car. Go back to school. Sign the contract. Relocate. Spend the money. It literally does grow on trees!! Get the ticket and go alone. Forgive and move on. Listen and learn. Continue to grow. Give yourself permission to live the life. It’s yours to live as wildly as you can dream if you believe it. Don’t return the gift of life unused in the end.
My heart aches to know these three beautiful Well Divas aren’t with us anymore. Yet I’m happy to know that each of these ladies were living life well enough to give themselves the gift of travel while they could.
Island hopping in Greece – The 2022 Greek Goddesses living life and living it well
