Sometimes it's hard for me to believe that I've worked in the advertising industry for more than 15 years ... makes me sound way older than I really am. In fact, that's one of the things I love the most about the ad agency life ... I get to work with a lot of young people, young people who make me feel younger than I really am. I get to work with some really brilliant young people who have fantastically creative minds and amazing talent. I get to work with some young people who have great big hearts to go along with their great big talents. Yep, one of the best decisions I ever made was to leave the corporate world behind and step into the ad world ... a world filled with fun, fancy ads and friends.
I think there's something unique about the friendships I've been blessed to be part of in the years I've worked in advertising, something truly special that ties those of us in the ad community together. It's not something that I can explain really, it's kind of like a shared heart kind of thing, I think. It amazes me how many of the people I've worked with over the last 15 plus years still stay in touch with me, whether through email or Facebook or this blog ... like some of my "boys" from when I worked at VR, young men who keep up with me and let me know what's going on in their lives, young men who take me to lunch when they are in town or call me on my birthday. The young women who invite me to their weddings and send me pictures of their children, young women who call me periodically just to chat and catch up on life. And then ... then there are the ones who are like family to me ... the ones I talk to often and spend time with on a regular basis, ones like my sweet friend Jan.
Today, I had lunch with Jan at the restaurant where we often meet for the noontime meal ... a restaurant across the street from my office that is known for its delicious hamburgers. Jan and I met years ago at VR, and she's one of my dearest friends. We've been through some good times together, and we've shared a lot of laughter. We've grieved together over the loss of family members, both human and canine. We've talked work and children and church and love and life and everything in between. I truly love my lunchtime chats with Jan ... I love her positive outlook on life and her cheery spirit. Jan has a gift for listening, and she has a giant heart filled with compassion and true inner joy. The truth is that I love my lunchtime talks with Jan for a purely selfish reason ... I always head back to work feeling better, smiling more, knowing that we will be friends for life.
We both got a bit teary as we talked today about some big life stuff, and the emotion that washed over me at lunch has hung on even tonight. I am so richly blessed to have people in my life who love me ... people who love me unconditionally and unselfishly ... people who want nothing more than for me to be OK ... people who want me to be healthy and happy and alive. Jan said something to me today, and I told her it was one of the sweetest things anyone has ever said to me. She said, "Terrie, that enormous, gigantic heart of yours is just too big for your little body, girl." And yes, I teared up then, and I'm tearing up now just thinking about it.
Know that I'm sending a big Terrie hug your way tonight, Jan, and I'm already looking forward to our next lunch. So blessed am I by your friendship ... so touched by your compassionate heart ... so humbled by your constant faith in me ... so very thankful for you, my friend, so very, very thankful indeed.
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