When a Dream is Complete
4:00 p.m., September 21, 2021: Closed!
Pat and I turned the front door latch at 107 Newtown Lane - Mary’s Marvelous - for the last time. My breath was very different that day. A long exhale, knowing that tomorrow … my life would not be what it had been for these 20 years.
Customers spilled in the store that day to say farewell, to leave a gift or to load up on anything they could, some looking for a memento. Orders had been placed for scones cookies, muffins, soup, turkey meatloaf. It was wonderful and wrenching.
I really had not known the extent that Mary’s Marvelous mattered. The flood of appreciation nearly brought me to my knees.
That was my gift from 20 years of being that business for the community. Somehow, that flood of gratitude made the whole endeavor even more worthwhile. We had succeeded at showing care and love through our work.
Tears spilled out from almost everyone – my loyal Mary’s Marvelous team, many of whom I had worked side by side with for 10, 15, 20 years not wanting this to end. We were surrounded by those who had been of part of this experience, my sister, Sandra, Pat’s mom, the day just filled my soul.
When a dream is achieved and complete
I am frequently asked why I closed Mary’s Marvelous and stopped production of our robust line of cookies and granola. After all, we were an anchor in town, a hangout, a respite, a regular stop if only for a good cup of coffee.
Opening Mary’s Marvelous had been a dream and a brave move for me. That dream now felt complete.
And I had some new questions I wanted to answer.
Who had I become in this 20-year process of owning and overseeing this company?
Who was I outside of this job?
What else could I do and who else could I become?
So much of my work life had become “automatic” or even “habitual.” I wasn’t allowing myself to think outside of the world I had built with the business. It was so much busy-ness, challenges and responsibilities that kept me in “doing” mode.
This is tricky, because simply being busy all the time – working working working – can trap us into building ourselves into a box of our own design.
I wanted more and although I didn’t know what that was, I felt a strong call …. to do something more, something different, or something differently. I needed the empty space to think.
What I have concluded is this…
Ending is as brave as beginning. And it also deserves to be celebrated.
Thank you Laura and for being a part of this with me
It takes a lot of courage to make a bold move in your life of success - and sameness. Hearing the voice within that tells you you're capable of more … and HEEDING it … that's a giant win for you and all the lives you begin touching next!