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Nashville, TN: I’ve become slightly obsessed with The Giving Keys. After I
had met the woman who created the organization in a coffee shop in LA by chance (or was it chance…), I had decided
to gift some of the most important women in my life with a key (in addition to
Thistle Farms products). My Mom, my Godmother, my best friend, my former
shrink, my boss – Christmas gifts seemed to be a cinch since I knew
each key was a simple and thoughtful way to say: I love you… while supporting a
worthwhile cause… and helping you look stylish to boot.
Then I ordered my second round of keys – for two more
bosses, another dear friend, and one just because it looked cool (the “love in
different languages” key Valentine’s Day promotion) – which I ended up giving
to a new friend who needed a little international love in the moment.
Now, the spirit of The Giving Keys is a ‘pay it forward’
mentality. From
their website:
“When the wearer of the key encounters
someone else who needs the message on the key, they give it away and then tell
us their story.” As I put on my
necklace for the first time, I wondered what my story would look like when I
gave my key away, years from now. The key would surely have traveled the world,
witnessed tears of joy and sorrow, brought comfort during lonely nights and
brightness during gratifying days.
I was thinking of this unwritten story when a longtime
friend came to stay with me for a weekend. She was in the midst of terrible
heartache and on a sunny afternoon, we sat together inside a darkened living
room on a couch, surrounded by Kleenex, candles and cake. (Note: cake is a
necessity in the midst of terrible heartache.)
As she softly wept, I held her hand and could feel my own
heart wrench empathetically, silently praying that I would be given any words
that might offer just a bit of respite.
At one point, she looked at me, pensively, and confessed, “I just don’t know, Carolyn. I think I may
have lost my light."
The statement startled me. Partly because I know that
feeling of utter hopelessness, but also because I wasn’t prepared for her to be
missing the one thing I had… around my neck. I’m sure you can guess what
happened next.
I gave her my key.
Yeah, that’s how the story was supposed to go. Instead, I
felt my own hand slip my key under the front of my shirt and say to her, “everything’s going to be ok.” I mean,
I had JUST received my key in the mail two days prior. I hadn’t worn it for
more than 48 hours. Hell, I hadn’t even blogged about it yet! I wanted to support her and knew this would
be a great Giving Keys story, but I wasn’t ready to give up my key – my light –
just yet.
The weekend was over and we said our goodbyes. Over the next
couple of months, I wore my key and thought of her. People asked me about its
meaning and I proudly told them its origin… until I shamefully got to the part
where I was supposed to give it away, yet somehow managed to avoid it once it
got to someone who really needed it.
Supportive friends tried to justify it (“maybe you needed
the light a little more before you give it away?”) and others tried to
rationalize it (“it’s just a necklace – buy her another one!”). But every time
I touched that key (which was everyday), I thought of my friend and her
heartache and the light she so desperately needed.
One day, for no apparent reason (other than I'm a little slow in life), I had an epiphany:
the point of light is to shine.
To illuminate. To brighten. If I continue to wear my light around my neck, what
good will that do? How will I be able to share my light with others if I keep it
tucked safely away? I’m not a bible quoter by any stretch of the imagination,
but there is one parable that came to mind while hearing myself ask these questions:
"You are the light of the world.
A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others...
*and give her your freaking key."
*Ok, the last line wasn’t technically written, but if Jesus were here & knew the story, I’m pretty sure he would have made that a commandment.
Once I realized what the true meaning of my key was, I couldn’t wait to see her again to give it to her. As luck would have it (or
was it luck…), I had a chance to visit her at the beginning of the next month
and was able to hand her – in person – they key had had belong to her the whole
time. Though she didn’t want to accept it (she knew how much I loved that
key!), I assured her that I had made the mistake of not giving it to her when
she first needed it. Plus, there was another ‘light’ on its way to me at that very moment.
I’m beginning to see that my word of intention for the
year is more than just wearing a pretty key of light around my neck. It’s about
living the word and actually being the light.
Plus, this is a great opportunity for me to give out MORE Giving Keys and continuing to spread the word / mission / fashion with others.
And now may I introduce Light #2, which I had, I wore and have already sent off to another light-needer. But I'll save that for another light blog.
Then I ordered my second round of keys – for two more
bosses, another dear friend, and one just because it looked cool (the “love in
different languages” key Valentine’s Day promotion) – which I ended up giving
to a new friend who needed a little international love in the moment.
