What’s This About? It started this way...

January 3, 2009, I was 1 of 500 people to choose to leave a good job, at a fortune 50 company in the worst ‘macro-economic times we have ever seen!’  I had been with the company for almost 7 years, and it was a tough decision to leave.  I was leaving a successful career, in a company I really loved, with many people who had become my 2nd family. 

February 6, 2009, my friend Mary Capozzi invited me to hear an author speak about purpose and the 2nd half of life.  It was 1 week before my last day at the company, and I was feeling pretty raw.  I wanted to sit in the back of the room and listen…and got there, and realized I was going to have to participate.  I had to sit in a circle, look people in the eye.  Crap!  And if that wasn’t bad enough, we broke into small circles of 4. it gets worse.  And answer the simple question, “what matters?”  when it got to me, sweating, I said “I have no idea…I’m trying to figure it out, again.”

February 8, 2009, I found out Ms. Miller, my 11th grade American Lit teacher passed away.  She made such a difference in my life. I remember sitting on my sofa with tears, regretting not telling her.

February 9, 2009, a wise person at my favorite caribou coffee shop, his name is Doug, said “structure is important in times of change”

February 12, 2009, I turned in my laptop (no dad, not my typewriter!), my cell phone and badge, and walked out the door.

February 23, 2009, two things happened.  I was tired of all the negative stuff in the news. Just done with it. And, I remembered Ms. Miller, and regretting her not knowing what a difference she made in my life.  I decided to write 50 letter in 50 days.  I wrote my 1st letter to my niece Emma.  I didn’t want another day to go by, without telling people in my life they have made a difference.  I had no expectations. None. 

Then, something happened.  I started to answer the question,  what matters.  I started seeing patterns.  Things that were important, like respect and listening.

My uncle received his letter in the hospital.  I didn’t even know he was in the hospital.  My best friend growing up called me.  he received his letter and it “couldn’t have come at a better time”.  He was going through a tough time with his family.

I got letters back.  From Ann, telling me what it meant to her, and how she would keep it near her letter from her 16 year old daughter from years ago.  And that she was sending a note to her daughter to thank her.  From my brother, which meant so much to me.

I wanted more people to do it. Write 50 letters in 50 days.  Keep the positive momentum moving forward.  The world needs it.

So, let’s start a revolution. now..