Letter from the Editor
Dear Friends:

It’s January. A time when businesses count inventory, when people make “Resolutions”, when exercise equipment comes out of the closet. I was channel hopping at the beginning of the month (no, I wasn’t mysteriously injected with a Y chromosome), and stopped on a station where actors were asked what his/her “New Years Resolution” was. One guy (I don’t recall whom) replied that he doesn’t make “New Years Resolutions”; those are too easily broken. He instead makes changes as needed during the year. This struck a chord with me. So often we pigeon-hole things and seem to wear blinders. On Mother’s Day and Father’s Day we honor, respectively, our moms and dads. On Thanksgiving, we give thanks for all our blessings. At Christmas, we offer gifts to express love that is born in our hearts. When a new Soroptimist member is installed, we smile and share the feeling of being a Soroptimist Sister. It all works so nicely. But what would happen if someone should dare to think outside the pigeon-hole?

As a person who often does things in a non-traditional way, I fit into that category. Although it is not Thanksgiving Day, I am particularly thankful for a special gift I received during the holidays. For the first time since I moved from Illinois, over two decades ago, I had family with me for the Christmas holiday. My sister-in-law (good friend for 30+ years), Wanda was here December 21 thru December 29. Some friendships stand the test of time, distance and life’s changes. Wanda and I have one of these.

Most of you have heard Wanda’s name, as many a Happy Dollar has been given because of her and her family. Wanda knows many of your names too. While she was here visiting she got to meet several of you, including President Leah who helped me with a broken necklace clasp, seems some long hair was the culprit. Wanda and I had lunch at Jean’s Deli, the place where our Soroptimist board meetings are held. In fact, one of our board members, Alex, was there with us. Debra and her daughter joined us also.

Wanda and I did a drive by and shot a glance at the Oak Table. SI Sequim has had so many meetings and functions there, it seems like it is a Soroptimist annex. A brief review of our recent 6th Annual WIN Kick-Off was in order of course. We also drove to Petals. Although it was not open at the time, Wanda was able to see where twice a month, SI Sequim Sisters meet to share breakfast, conversation, ideas and business. Later, while driving through town, I pointed out the theatre where OTA actors make us laugh out loud, jump back in surprise, or use our brains to figure out who dunnit.

Wanda is a person who likes to visualize things. Now that she knows some of the places I hang out and people I hang out with, she can really picture things when I share them with her.

I have talked a lot to Wanda about Kim, my mentee – and vice-versa. They got to meet and spend some time together while Wanda was here. For over a year, Kim has talked about going to Illinois with me when I go back to visit. Now that she has met Wanda, Kim is talking about it more. Kim’s friendship is another gift for which I am grateful. It is because of SI Sequim that I met Kim – one of many Soroptimist side benefits.

Wanda and I went shopping the day before Christmas. I haven’t done that since I lived in Illinois. Another unexpected gift I received was the Computer Solutions store being closed Thursday and Friday. That gave Wanda and me more time together. We even hit some sales the day after Christmas. This may sound like commercialism at its peek. However, that would be the pigeon-hole way of seeing it. So much of real living is just being able to be yourself with someone, knowing they accept you for who you are – sharing as you do things, whether it be making dinner, watching a movie, going shopping, or even working on a Soroptimist project.

Maybe it’s time for each of us to take a personal inventory, to exercise our right to think outside of the pigeon-hole, to resolve to accept the love in and around us.

Light and Love,
Kathy Purcell
Editor

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To love deeply in one direction makes us more loving in all others.
Anne Sophie Swetchine

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