I've known Suzannah for 17 years. We worked together at my first job out of college in the concept design office at Abercrombie and Fitch in NYC. Love how the Love Is Project has come full circle and brought us back together. Suz is contributing her time fielding customer services and operations as we scale and lending her talents to developing a Love Ambassadors program. I'm grateful for her optimistic outlook on life and organizing skills to helping us grow. —Chrissie
It’s not everyday that your boss asks you to write a piece about LOVE and what it means to you, personally, but am I glad she did! We are so honored at The Love Is Project to share in many people’s LOVE stories as they write to us and share their “why” for purchasing a bracelet and “what” the bracelet means to them. 4 little letters with so much meaning. That is the power of LOVE and the cornerstone of The Love Is Project!
As we enter this Mother’s Day week, and I write this piece, I am flooded with emotion. LOVE…….when you have a child, or rather when you become a parent in any way shape or form, you begin to wear your heart outside of your chest. It’s a fact. You begin to feel, in your heart, a very different beat. It’s less, much less, about you, and it beats for them. You look at the world with such a different eye, and begin to understand, just a little, what a Mother’s Love is.
It is patience, Cheerios, messiness, Legos everywhere, Superheroes, potty talk (that you so want to laugh at but have to do so in another moment), mud & dirt (loads of dirt on your clean floor) and pee on the seat (moms of boys can relate).
It is you before me, yes to another book when your eyes are so tired, sweet dreams in your pillow, knowing your crush and keeping it a secret, letting you wear a graphic tee to a party even though your younger self said “I will never put my kid in a Spider-Man tee” (you will).
It is pleases and thank yous and teaching them to be grateful.
It is watching them ride their bike away from the house as you hold back every bone from running after to make sure he knows to “look both ways”.
It’s letting them make their own PBJ without hovering and showing them how to peel an apple and crack an egg (and not freaking about the shells and yolk that find their way onto the counter).
It is faith in yourself and in your little human you are raising.
LOVE is frustration but finding your way back to say today was not my best but tomorrow I will try harder. LOVE is one more kiss, one last big squeeze as they run for the bus. LOVE is roots and wings, the latter of which become “lump in your throat scenes” when they begin to flap.
Love is Nick + Brendan, my gifts from God, my reason for waking up each day and trying to be better.
So on this Mother’s Day, we at The Love Is Project celebrate all the Moms, Grandmoms, Aunties, Sisters, Sisters from other Misters and friends who wake up each day and try a wee bit harder for their little or big LOVES.
Enjoy your day, keep spreading the LOVE and remember each time you look at your wrist how powerful it is to LOVE and be LOVED.
—XO Suzannah