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The drive to the Danbury Federal Correction Institution and the facility itself were surprisingly attractive, if you could look past the sea of barbed wire and fencing all around. I was there last Friday and felt a little bit nervous upon arrival. We were screened as though getting on a flight and had our hands stamped in order to pass through an ultraviolet process and heavy-duty sealed passageway.
My daughter Laura joined me for the job fair at the prison. We set up along with about 10 other vendors including the Women’s Business Development Center (WBDC), an organization I’m very familiar with and whom I greatly admire. Lucy Baney of Access Technologies also had a table. She and I had met a few years ago when she spoke for WBDC. When she saw me rolling in my cartons of books she came right over and said, “Boy, they let anybody in here, don’t they?” Any nervousness I was feeling quickly dissipated with her warm and funny welcome.
I wasn’t sure who the prisoners were until someone pointed out that anyone wearing all khaki was an inmate. We had met a few women before the event who fit that description, but I thought they were staff. There was no discernible difference in appearance from those visiting and those residing there. The inmates ranged in age from twenty-something to sixty-ish and older. They were very open about how their incarceration would impact their ability to get jobs when released. Many were very interested in entrepreneurship and creating their own futures.
I gave a brief talk to each group that convened in my area. I wanted to convey hope and possibility no matter what the industry they were interested in. I brought my first book, Decorating Eggs, along to show them what I had made a successful business out of. They were all intrigued and could immediately understand the potential of their ideas, whether it was running a beauty salon or helping others with communication skills.
The women were eager to learn. I donated a copy of my newly republished book Soul Proprietor to each of them and was tickled that they lined up to get my autograph. This is the closest I come to feeling like a rock star.
My contact information is in the front of the book. I hope to hear from some of them as they develop their plans. It felt good to share a positive message with women who have served their time and deserve a second chance.
I love the movies, and catching up on all the latest offerings is part of my August vacation pleasure. Over the weekend we saw (500) Days of Summer which I thoroughly enjoyed.
One scene particularly stayed in my mind for its personal truth which applies to my business as well. The screen splits in half for this segment. On the left-hand side we see the hero’s ‘expectations’ played out. On the right side you see the ‘reality’ revealed. It’s funny, poignant and raw.
How many times have I choreographed my expectations in my head, only to be flattened by the reality? The incident that comes to mind immediately (and most painfully) was when I arrived in North Carolina to finalize the photography and edits for my first book, Decorating Eggs. I imagined that there would be a red carpet rolled out and my editor waiting on the tarmac with a sign saying: AUTHOR just waiting for me to de-plane. The reality was not only no red carpet, but no editor either. I had to call her to tell her I had arrived.
It got better, but I’ve since learned to curb my expectations.
I received a phone call last night on our home phone that now rings only in the kitchen. An office line and cell phone numbers have long since become our primary means of communication, so checking messages on 1-0-3-2 usually entails simply deleting calls from telemarketers who got through.
This was from a woman in Albuquerque, NM who had saved an old copy of Victoria magazine (1992) and wondered if my eggs were still available. I hesitated before returning the call since I haven’t touched a kistka–the tool I used to decorate with–in nearly five years. But, personally, I like to have closure and appreciate when anyone returns my call, so I dialed her back. We had a lovely conversation. She might even purchase a copy of my book on the subject –Decorating Eggs: Exquisite Designs with Wax & Dye.
The call brought up several thoughts which were worth sharing:
- I marveled at the shelf-life of the printed word. Victoria Magazine ceased publication in 2003, not to mention the 17 years since this piece was published.
- When the article did appear, a book on the subject wasn’t even a twinkle in my eye.
- I didn’t regret losing a potential sale, nor spend one second contemplating pulling out my tools and dyes in fear of this economic slowdown.
- You never know when the seeds you’ve planted will sprout, where or how.
Stay positive!
