My mother in law fell and broke her hip a few weeks ago, and she will probably be in the hospital for quite some time. I know that this is not unusual for a senior of eighty-five. But it's very hard to see her lying there, a tiny little scarecrow of a woman, clutching my hand and telling me that she's ready to go. I hold her hand just as tightly, asking her to please try harder. Please stay. I feel like a child who is lost in the woods, when I picture my life without her. When I got married thirty-five years ago, I never realized that she would become so precious to me.
I've heard it said that love takes many forms. Maybe that's why we don't always recognize it for what it is. In the early days of my business, my mother started showing up at my door unexpectedly. She'd pack Trekkers into boxes and then into crates for shipping. She'd clean off the lunch table (the blessings of a home business!) and answer the phone at the same time. She made herself indespensible, and didn't want to be paid for her work. I finally had to bar the door to her until she gave in.
My first trade show with the babyTrekker, aside from local events, was in Dallas, Texas. Two of my sisters came with me, along with my oldest daughter, Hilary. It was a lot of work, and plenty of fun. All of my sisters (five!)and my only brother have helped me in some way with my business, from the sewing in the early days, to figuring out various wearing positions, to manning the booths or modelling the babyTrekker in photos and demo videos. It sounds easy, but it wasn't. It meant time sacrificed and their own plans put on hold, many times over.
One day when I had a particularly large order to deliver, my inlaws, my mom and dad and other family members came over and started packing. It took hours to get that order ready. When I look back, I remember how much fun we had. I also remember the sacrifices that my family made for me. Friends also helped out from time to time. My La Leche League family was a strong source of support, especially the O'Brien family.
Small businesses don't just happen because one person gets an idea. It's like the popular saying, "It takes a village to raise a child." Well, it takes a lovely, supportive community to get a business going as well. The people in my town have been amazing when it came to helping me get started. From the staff at Canada Post, to our local Greenstone agency for small business, to the stores that have promoted our products and the Flin Flonners who strong arm others into trying the carrier. I hear it all the time from customers on the phone. "I met someone from your town and they said that I had to try the babyTrekker. It's the only one that works." I can't tell you how many times I've heard that story.
I've been thinking lately about all the things that we do to help each other out in life. As parents, we do everything that we can to make sure our children get the best start in life. Some of us go a little overboard (yes, Mari, I admit it) but it's only because we care! Action is the outlet for a parent's love, though sometimes staying quiet and allowing your child to figure things out for themselves is the best action of all. The thing is, when we do it right, then the next generation wants to return the favor. Love begets love. Kindness is a garden of good fruit, and the seeds gathered from it move from generation to generation. And finally, the things that we've done for others becomes the love that sees us through to the end.
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