For those of you following our calendar project, with our 27 elite contributors, you are in for a treat. The team really showed up for the first "official" calendar photo challenge, so I hope you have been enjoying their progress!
Rather than try to explain what their project was this month, I feel that is is better for me to just share with you all the letter I sent to them, it was easier for me to say the first time around.
"February is our first month of photo challenges! February is also special because it's the month Paul Figura was born, and sadly enough, also the month he passed away, 51 years later. Being completely real with you all, losing Paul was one of the most difficult things that has ever happened to me, on so many levels. The day the world lost Paul, I lost a best friend, a mentor, a big-brother, and also my job. It was the saddest and scariest day of my life. On top of grieving, I selfishly had to think about the frightening fact that come Monday morning, I had no job to go to, no paycheck to collect at the end of the week, no work responsibilities, nothing. I was pretty low.
Life has a beautiful way of surprising us sometimes. When things were bad, friends, family, and clients opened up their hearts in ways I could have never imagined. Not only did support come in the form of kindness and caring, but it came in the form of jobs and the opportunity to begin building my own confidence in the work I do.
There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think of Paul and how much I miss him, but I think I can finally say I’m in a good place. I am exactly where he would want me to be, and most importantly, where I want to be. The company is moving forward successfully, and the work I have been creating with my clients is work that I am proud of, and at the end of the day, that’s pretty darn good.
A few years back, Paul started a project he called the “One Love” project. On the surface, it's pretty simple. It's a one dollar bill with the word “love” on it. However, the goal of the project for Paul was to meet new people, hear their story, talk with them, and then present them with the dollar, in exchange for their photo. Your challenge this month is to do the same. I won’t force you to meet someone new, because sometimes that can be overwhelming, and for an introvert like me, downright uncomfortable. Here is what you can do though: Give it to someone you love. But first, sit down and have a conversation with them; share a laugh, a cup of coffee, a date night, whatever you can do to get some one-on-one time with them. Then give them your One Love dollar and take their photo.
If you asked me what I miss most about Paul, I would say our conversations, which always ended in laughter. Take the time to have that with someone this month. Have it with multiple people actually. Because it will make you both feel loved, and because it may end up being something you cherish when they are no longer around. "
Now, with that being said, check out the amazing posts people shared of their experiences sharing their "one love" dollars. Remember, you don't need a dollar bill, or any other reason to meet new people or appreciate the people you already do know, just do it. Make the most of your time here on earth, love those that you love honestly and truly and be kind to everyone (or at least try really hard).
Special thanks to everyone that participated (in order shown): @cmykaren, @hlm20, @brunetgarcia, @lizgrebe, @wearetigerlilly, @squeakjoy, @xgilx, @squeakjoy, @tayyfigg, @kevynfaulkenberry, @xgilx, Jill Collins, @kevynfaulkenberry, @niaby, @russelq, @tanner_deprin, @vasinvulture, @this.is.fitz, @smallfoxmedia, @fjordexplorer, @xgilx