The Best Day Ever

Today I am riding on a wave of happiness, support and love.  Much like Sponge Bob Square Pants doing his jig, singing his ‘It’s the Best Day Ever’ song, there’s a giddy-up in my step and a joy in my heart that is beyond description.  Where is all this exuberance coming from?  A weekend filled with our collaborative book launch Fearless Voices: True Stories by Courageous Women.  What a weekend!

The festivities began on Saturday night when 3 of us, myself included, were interviewed by Ann Quasman of the WomanTalk Live Radio Show.  We were lead by a master, encouraged and enticed to share our thoughts and experiences from this story writing project.  Huddled together in the tight, little, dark room, goofy headphones on our heads, gigantic microphones shoved in our faces we all expounded on the secret treasures unearthed in the writing.  There was a tingly feeling inside me, like a 6 year old child on Christmas Eve, knowing this was the magical moment of anticipation, those excitement filled hours just before something really wonderful is about to happen; the feeling that this was just the beginning.

There was laughter, joy and camaraderie as the show wound up and we prepared to meet more of our fellow authors for a late dinner.  I felt surrounded and included, a feeling that hasn’t been tremendously evident for most of my past, a group with a common bond about to celebrate our success.  Lovely!

Dinner was a fun mix of lively conversation, catching up, hugging, laughing and rather lousy service.  But, the service didn’t matter because we were all together, women sharing and supporting each other, happy to be in this circle of feminine wonderfulness.

Sunday morning, excited and anxious, I arose at 4:30AM!  Ten of the authors were coming to my house for a pre-launch brunch.  There wasn’t that much to do, it was just that Christmas Eve feeling all over again.

At 11:20 sharp, fed and emotionally fueled, love abounding, we all headed over to the Hilton to set up for the launch.   I’ve hosted events before.  I’ve been included in, and attended similar events before.  Never have I seen such sharing, support and encouragement.  It was the 'Women at their Best Fest'.  I wish I could have captured the energy, the kindness, the selfless giving that took place.  I’d bottle it. Call it LOVE, and I’d give it away for free.  It would most definitely change the world.

Set up done with amazing precision, at 2 o’clock our guests and supporters started to arrive.  In the main room refreshments were to be served.  Decorated like the most grand of ballrooms, there were cloth wrapped standing tables of shimmery pink

(or was it powder blue?) that resembled large champagne glasses, creating an air of elegance and class.  To one side there was an unbelievably large cake, like one from Cake Boss on TV, that looked like 2 books.  But, they weren’t any books.  They were OUR books.  Our Book.  With Our Book Cover, a huge edible testament to our journey and our vision. How fun is that!?  Across the room from the Cake of Gloriousness was a bubbly font of deliciousness, a chocolate fountain, with mounds of chocolately yumminess cascading down 3 tiers of wonder,  accompanied by beautiful platters of fresh fruit for dipping, and urns of coffee lined up in a row, the combined smells of fruit, chocolate and coffee overwhelming the senses.  Can it get any better?  I think NOT!  (but I was wrong)

As the rooms started filling up I saw close friends that came just for me.  Just for me!  I still can’t believe it.  And, Facebook friends that I have never met in person, women from networking groups and even my Aunt, my son, his girlfriend, My-Katie, her boyfriend and, of course, the love of my life.  

Across from the main room there was an Authors Corner, a small, quiet room where authors could read aloud or answer questions from the audience.  Generally, the room was packed, so interested were the participants in hearing our stories and meeting these dynamic women.  

Maybe that’s what made this event so special.  Maybe it was the loving energy of this particular group of women and the people that surround them.  Because I know, I KNOW, I have never felt anything like it before.

When it came to be my turn to read, the audience was peppered with friends and family.  I looked up to see my son scoot in, bouquet of flowers in his arms for me.  My breath caught, and I thought ‘Don’t look’ Don’t look, or you’ll burst out in tears”  So, I didn’t acknowledge him, even though we made brief eye contact.  Because I couldn’t.

Ready to read, suddenly my story seemed even more personal, as if I was speaking my heart, to all the world, for the very first time.  I felt excited and frightened, nervous and exhilarated all at the same time.  As expected, I cried as I read. But, that’s okay.  I was sharing a time when I was so lost, so out of touch with myself and my purpose.  We sighed, laughed and gasped together as my story unfolded, the audience experiencing that window of my life for the first time, me reliving the story as though it were yesterday. 

The most poignant moment of the whole event was after group pictures were taken around the Amazing Cake of Excellence.  A long time friend of mine kept watching me throughout the picture taking, smile on her face, basking in the joy that radiated from me.  I could feel it.  Big and full, uncontainable and bold.  After 1000 pictures were taken she came up to me and said ‘You’re different.  Before you were bubbly and all “I love you” and it was great.  But now, you are so confident and comfortable, I wonder, will this new Lisa love me, too?’  I told her she was wonderful, because she is. That I cherish our friendship. Which I do.  However, when I thought about it later, laying in the quiet of my bedroom processing the whole day, all that had happened, and all that I had experienced, I realized that what I wish I had said was ‘ I will always love you. Because you are you.  What’s different about our relationship is that now, I love me, too!’

Joyous, abundant love to Andrea Hylen, creator of the Heal My Voice project and Fearless Voices book, Ellen Koronet (the best cheerleader ever), Beth Dellow, Beth Bracaglia, Laurissa Heller, Rebecca Matias, Ann Quasman, Debra Berney, Sherry Dmytrewycz, Lucky Sweeny, Karen Ribeiro, Christel Libiot, Tammy Vitale, Jamie Dee Schiffer, Ami Cuero, Sharon Shreve, Debbie Kabin, Kathryn Yarborough, Liz Draman.  And sponsors Jennifer Thakkar, Josie Thompson and Karen R’s friend Stephanie.  

A special thanks to those that have supported me in so many ways, my fabulously wonderfully splendiferous husband Brad, son Easton, Ray, Katie, Jesse, Amy Clemens, Loraine Frey, Elaine Pardoe, Linda Marsh, Tanya, Janet, Shawne Howell, Michelle Macek, Lynn Cummins and Lisa Gordon.  You ALL rock!