Hi Tea Drops, friends! I'm Isabella and I'm on the Marketing team for Tea Drops! I'm very excited to share what we've been working on!
Through various different ways, we get to know many of our customers and the stories that make them who they are. Over the course of the past couple of months, our team has had the privilege of getting to know Linda, a long time frequent customer of Tea Drops. What started as a conversation to get to know about her relationship with Tea Drops, we were able to dig deeper and learn so much about Linda’s life and how small moments shaped her in ways that ended up changing her forever. Her experiences and her outlook on life, inspired a series of storytelling that we’ll begin sharing with you today. A series of magic moments that connect us to what’s important. Twice a month, dive into different stories from members of our communiTEA, as they share their form of magic.
Love is MAGIC
While going through a transitional phase of life, Linda at 38, divorced, and living alone, already having experienced what seemed like a full life, decided to take up journaling. She wrote that she would be more open to the universe, she wanted it ALL - a man who would love me more than anything else in the world, kids, a house in the country with a dog and cat and more ART in her life. Not long after that reflection, Linda went out into that universe. What she thought was a normal trip to the grocery store turned out to be a moment that would change her world forever.
While shopping, she heard the deep resonant voice of a man. When she looked over she saw it belonged to the most beautiful man she had ever seen, who was accompanied by a little girl, seemingly his daughter. The man and Linda looked at each other, in which Linda describes to be the moment that sparked everything… though they each went on their own way.
Months past and Linda was sure she’d never see him again. While she went on living life, a few months had passed. Linda made yet another trip to the grocery story and this time, her luck had changed. While in the pasta aisle she was approached by the man with the deep bass voice and his little girl. Although it took them both a while to say something, he said, “Where have you been stranger?” And after a quick exchange of words, they left it at “Hope I see you again sometime.” Just like that, they left it. Linda was sure she’d never see him again after that, though she hoped he would come back and ask her out. As she looked through the window and watched him get into his truck, she saw the little girl again running up to her. She was handed a business card, with his name and phone number on it. He was a sculptor, and art was a long time love of Linda. The universe had spoken! She didn't call him right away because it was Saturday and she didn't want to seem desperate. The next day she finally called and left a message from 'the lady in the grocery store'. Later she found out he was home, but didn't answer because he didn't want to seem desperate. The next day he did call her back and they made a dinner date for just two days later. They went on that date and went on to be married 12 years before his passing. So six months after her request to the universe, she had it ALL, a house in the country and a dog and a cat, kids and a man who loved me more than anything else in the world, AND so much more art in her life.
For the next part of their story I’ll leave it to Linda…
“I woke up every morning to Frank, always in a good mood, and I would look at him and wonder how I got to be so lucky; how We had found each other, why he loved ME. I would get up to make him breakfast in bed and the first thing I would hear is "I love you, Linda". Before I would leave for work he would ask me if there was something special he could do for me today. We would often say how much we wished he could be small and be in my pocket all day long so we would never have to be apart. I would often have a love note and drawing in my lunch made by him and for a couple years while there was a special device called a palm pilot that would transfer regular writing into emails, I would get love notes during the day from wherever he was (before the time of texting). I would hear "I love you, Linda" twenty times a day and always the last thing at night. Frank was the love of my life and father of all of my children - that is how I would refer to him or answer his calls.”
Though now, Linda is battling stage 4 cancer, she keeps optimistic and lives life freely and to the fullest, the way that Frank did. “Missing someone is not the same as being sad,” Linda says. “The things that are making you cry now are things that will make you smile later on. Time that goes by changes everything.”
Linda was able to translate her optimism and love to her grandchildren, as well, as her love for Yoga and glass making. In times of sadness and tragedy, we hope you think of Linda, and share Linda’s unbridled optimism. We certainly have.
