We have a young girl who takes pictures for us. She cute, creative and she takes great pictures. She's also very young. She just graduated from high school this summer and this is her first job. Anyway... shes interesting, to say the least.
So! Late this afternoon, this young girl sent me a Facebook message and asked if she could come back and talk to me. I, of course, replied that she could.
She came back because she felt she had to talk to me - very serious stuff. She stopped and started... stopped and started... and then she told me...
"I don't know if you believe in this, but I have a teacher who helps me with this stuff. I see "spirits" of the deceased," she said, smiling. "I saw Greg today in the basement and he said, "Tell my mom I love her." She reached across and took my hand. (For the record, through all of this, I've never doubted that Greg loved me - or that he knew that I loved him.)
Her announcement took me by surprise and I started to cry - just for a few seconds until I regained my composure. At that point, Michael walked into the room.
"Tell Michael what you just told me, would you please? I don't think I can. Michael... XXX sees spirits," I said evenly, turning to our young friend to continue. Michael showed nothing - no reaction.
"I saw Greg in the basement this morning while I was working," she said. "He came over to talk to me. We had a little conversation and then he told me, 'Tell them I love them.'
I don't remember exactly what Michael said, but it was something like. "Really? (with a lower case and very understated question mark)"
Nodding her head, she said. "Yes, he said, 'Tell them I love them - and that I'm sorry,'"
I have a pretty open mind and I'm often willing to give someone the benefit of the doubt when it's something that's beyond my understanding - even when it doesn't agree with what I believe. But,,, she told the story three times and it was different every time.
I decided to just... let it go.
Michael's daughter just returned from a trip to Europe and she chose that moment to call Michael to tell him about her trip. He talked for a minute and I said... "Don't hang up without letting me talk to Chelsea - or can I call her later?"
Handing me the phone, Michael said, "Now is better,"
I looked at XXX and asked, "Do you mind?"
"Of course not," she smiled - and she left.
I talked to Chelsea for a few minutes and heard about Amsterdam and Germany - the buildings, the people. It sounds like they had a great trip.
I'll have to process this whole "spirit" thing a while before I can really say much more about it. I thought it was potentially a mean, thoughtless thing to say - and do - but I don't believe she meant any malice. I'm sure she was trying to offer comfort.
The point of all this is to say --- that Greg built our basement to accommodate the business. He was involved in every aspect of what we do. He could fill orders for Michael - make bracelets for me - he could even wrap tiny Swarovski crystals with very fine sterling silver wire.
Greg was part of every decision about the basement build. He did almost all of the work himself and he did an impressive job. Greg chose the color for the walls (neutral gray so that the wall color didn't bleed into the leather and alter the appearance of the colors) - made sure we had plenty of electrical outlets and lights. He knew all about the leather - the size - the colors. He was familiar with all of the pieces and parts that were in all of the cabinets and made sure that everything "worked" for Michael. He had an opinion about everything - and his opinions were almost always right.
With two new employees and all the buzz in the biz this week, Greg would have been here. He could not have stayed away. And that was exactly the way I liked it.
The irony of this young woman's "vision" is that Greg is with us in the basement every day. He's in every shelf - every nail - every screw. Michael said he can't work down there without thinking of Greg.
Greg built me a separate studio (or as I call it... a workroom). Every time I step into that room, I feel the love in everything he did to make it "my" room - and to make it not only functional - but comfortable. He made my work top - added a chair rail around the room (because it looked pretty) - built me a fantastic closet - and so much more.
There are so many reasons to remember and smile. I am surrounded by his love - his thoughtfulness - his ability to problem solve - his anticipation of every need we might have - his kindness. I feel it every dag - in those rooms. And I'm so very grateful.
So! Late this afternoon, this young girl sent me a Facebook message and asked if she could come back and talk to me. I, of course, replied that she could.
She came back because she felt she had to talk to me - very serious stuff. She stopped and started... stopped and started... and then she told me...
"I don't know if you believe in this, but I have a teacher who helps me with this stuff. I see "spirits" of the deceased," she said, smiling. "I saw Greg today in the basement and he said, "Tell my mom I love her." She reached across and took my hand. (For the record, through all of this, I've never doubted that Greg loved me - or that he knew that I loved him.)
Her announcement took me by surprise and I started to cry - just for a few seconds until I regained my composure. At that point, Michael walked into the room.
"Tell Michael what you just told me, would you please? I don't think I can. Michael... XXX sees spirits," I said evenly, turning to our young friend to continue. Michael showed nothing - no reaction.
"I saw Greg in the basement this morning while I was working," she said. "He came over to talk to me. We had a little conversation and then he told me, 'Tell them I love them.'
I don't remember exactly what Michael said, but it was something like. "Really? (with a lower case and very understated question mark)"
Nodding her head, she said. "Yes, he said, 'Tell them I love them - and that I'm sorry,'"
I have a pretty open mind and I'm often willing to give someone the benefit of the doubt when it's something that's beyond my understanding - even when it doesn't agree with what I believe. But,,, she told the story three times and it was different every time.
I decided to just... let it go.
Michael's daughter just returned from a trip to Europe and she chose that moment to call Michael to tell him about her trip. He talked for a minute and I said... "Don't hang up without letting me talk to Chelsea - or can I call her later?"
Handing me the phone, Michael said, "Now is better,"
I looked at XXX and asked, "Do you mind?"
"Of course not," she smiled - and she left.
I talked to Chelsea for a few minutes and heard about Amsterdam and Germany - the buildings, the people. It sounds like they had a great trip.
I'll have to process this whole "spirit" thing a while before I can really say much more about it. I thought it was potentially a mean, thoughtless thing to say - and do - but I don't believe she meant any malice. I'm sure she was trying to offer comfort.
The point of all this is to say --- that Greg built our basement to accommodate the business. He was involved in every aspect of what we do. He could fill orders for Michael - make bracelets for me - he could even wrap tiny Swarovski crystals with very fine sterling silver wire.
Greg was part of every decision about the basement build. He did almost all of the work himself and he did an impressive job. Greg chose the color for the walls (neutral gray so that the wall color didn't bleed into the leather and alter the appearance of the colors) - made sure we had plenty of electrical outlets and lights. He knew all about the leather - the size - the colors. He was familiar with all of the pieces and parts that were in all of the cabinets and made sure that everything "worked" for Michael. He had an opinion about everything - and his opinions were almost always right.
With two new employees and all the buzz in the biz this week, Greg would have been here. He could not have stayed away. And that was exactly the way I liked it.
The irony of this young woman's "vision" is that Greg is with us in the basement every day. He's in every shelf - every nail - every screw. Michael said he can't work down there without thinking of Greg.
Greg built me a separate studio (or as I call it... a workroom). Every time I step into that room, I feel the love in everything he did to make it "my" room - and to make it not only functional - but comfortable. He made my work top - added a chair rail around the room (because it looked pretty) - built me a fantastic closet - and so much more.
There are so many reasons to remember and smile. I am surrounded by his love - his thoughtfulness - his ability to problem solve - his anticipation of every need we might have - his kindness. I feel it every dag - in those rooms. And I'm so very grateful.
The "leather wall"
My workroom
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