I Have Never Been So Happy To See Mud!

This is what I think to myself as the snow starts to thaw, the sun starts to shine a little more than 30 minutes a week, and I can take my garbage out without piling on layers of

warmth. The winter has felt incredibly long, incredibly cold, and at times, so very isolating. This is why seeing the mud makes me so happy. Because it means that somewhere on the

horizon, even though we may have another (or a few) more snowfalls, we KNOW that we are almost there!

This season has felt especially heartbreaking for our Village ENGAGED family, as we said goodbye to one of our founding mothers and board members, our precious Kami Callahan. To say Kami was a force of nature seems odd because she had the most gentle way about her, but when she felt passionately about something, she was FIERCE. And I don't mean that in a Tyra Banks kind of way. I mean that in a way where you know exactly how

she felt, and she would not back down. Last year, when Village ENGAGED was wading its

way through murky waters, trying to find what our next move was, I asked each board member several questions. Trying to get to the heart of why VE started, and how

each of them wanted the legacy of VE to look.

I asked 3 questions:

1. Why was it important for you to be a part of VE?

2. If you overheard someone talking about VE, what would you hope to hear them say?

3. What are you most proud of?

Now, I did tell the board members that their answers were confidential, but I wanted to highlight some key things that Kami shared with me. For Kami, VE was all about connection. She loved the opportunity to try something new and learn about things that she wasn't

personally experiencing. She hoped she would hear people say that VE gave the community a new way to reconnect and see the joy happening right here. She was most proud of the Community Closet and was honored that she felt trusted by the community to give this option for those who need it.

Kami Callahan

A few days after answering, Kami sent me another message. She said that when she thinks of Village ENGAGED, she has an immense sense of pride. Proud of herself for stepping out of her comfort zone and trying something new. Proud of the community and

everyone who took a chance on VE and accepted her in a way she had never felt before. In Kami's beautiful words: "I am a better person because of all I am learning from being a part of Village ENGAGED."

As the seasons start to change, as we start to reemerge from our winter caves and turn our faces towards sunlight and hope, I invite you to think of Kami and bring her spirit into any part of your life that allows you to reach beyond your comfort zone, to be part of something that feels bigger than you, and to embrace it with the biggest and best hug you can.

Thank you, Kami. For allowing us all into your orbit, and leaving us all better just for

knowing you.