I love anything with a story. My apartment is full of stories and I am always at the ready to tell anyone who will listen. I love to explain the trunk that once housed all my mom's treasures from her summers away at camp. I have a pair of sweet, lamps quiet in their beauty that once sat on my grandmother's dresser. A dainty stool peeks out from the side of the couch lovingly stitched by my granny. Sitting in the corner, unassuming, is a rust colored leather chair that beckons come and stay awhile. Some see the worn edges of these things as unsightly or in need of repair, but they provide the warmth, the depth that I desire. They instantly remind me of where I came from. Much like the worn pages of my favorite novels, they tell a story that is unchanging, unwavering, unapologetic. These are the women that I come from.

I have spent countless hours sitting contentedly in my grandma's kitchen listening to her stories. She talks about childhood, her travels, she talks about love and loss. As an adult I am so thankful to have her. There is never enough time and time is the enemy. I ache to spend more time with her, there is a beauty in her life that is undeniable, a kindness that is palpable and love that is disarming. She is my granny. The one that holds my heart.

There is another woman that has taught me about beauty. She is elegant, refined and perfect to my 5 year-old-eyes. My grammy was a dancer, who walked with straight back and head held high. She taught me to appreciate the depth of riches in life; the resonance of a well struck piano key, the perfection of a brush stroke, the gentle clink of ice in a real glass, and the beauty of bold colors.

With her I spent my days zipping up and down the driveway on the little royal blue tricycle with multicolored seat. She taught me the meaning of the word lady. I thought she was larger than life. She was beautiful.

These are the women that shaped who I am. They are the women that bring depth to my story and fill in the lines. To appreciate beauty you must pause or it might past you by. In order for me to understand these women it causes me pause.

History is not always easy, nor is it always riveting, However it is always generous. It will disclose and uncover if you take the time. There is a joy in the waiting for a story to be revealed. It is my desire to give these women permission to speak into my life in a way that deepens my understanding of what it is to be loved. What it is to walk in the gifts they have given. It is my desire to uncover the beauty of the world around me. The world that they worked so hard to provide and I am blessed to walk into. Thus starts my journey into the things of beauty. I thank you for your patience and grace as I make this journey into the greater things.