Nothing to Do With Jewelry -- Yet Everything to Do with Jewelry

I know you are thinking that this post has nothing to do with the making and marketing of jewelry; but in reality it has everything to do with it. Why? It’s true -- passion is the driver of every single moment I spend building and growing the jewelry business. Stumbling upon this GoPro video on YouTube yesterday was pure kismet. I was having one of those days where you just question everything you have done and the ways of life, in general. Everyone has those now and then, right? On top of it all, my fibromyalgia had decided to rear its ugly head so, I’ll admit it, I was having a bit of a pity party. However, in the middle of it all, YouTube and GoPro lead me to this short but powerful video. (If from your iPhone or iPad you can't see the video -- here is the direct link to YouTube. Hope you come back here and finish the read!)

Of course, my first thoughts were of my dad and his passion for guitar making. In case you don’t remember, my dad built his first guitar in 1962 all because someone told him he couldn’t do it. Well, thirty-three guitars later – his passion was proof enough that it could be done. No sophisticated equipment – he built all of those guitars in our garage, using the bathtub to get the wood wet and then warm enough to bend, dozens of clamps and molds that he cut and carved himself – each guitar was fueled by his passion – his passion for the craft and for the music that came from each and every guitar.

Every time I pick up a tool in the studio (or to repair something around the ol' homestead) I thank him for taking the time and energy to share his passions with me. He had three really -- guitar-building and playing (well music in general); model airplane building, flying and competing; and being a ham radio operator, talking to other operators around the world daily via Morse Code. Three pretty intense passions, I would have to say. I know he would really like this YouTube video i"m sharing – it warms my heart to know that he just might be watching over my shoulder. While I can’t see him I do always feel him right behind me – encouraging me to do my best to beat the odds and most importantly – to live my life with passion.