Earlier this month I got to hear fellow St. Mary's Girl Frances Schultz speak about her book, Bee Cottage, as well share other mementos from her stylish, albeit often less than glamorous journey through life: her work, her personal relationships, successes, failures, struggles and all. Frances is delightful in all ways, highly entertaining and wickedly clever; her stories all told with the most magnificently rich Eastern North Carolina drawl.
Captivated immediately by her opening remarks, I took copious notes throughout her talk. She said so many things that made me feel, well, normal. The byline of the title of her book, "How I Made A Muddle Of Things And Decorated My Way Back To Happiness" said it all. Literally. It's as if she was speaking through me to my soul. I know that sounds maybe a little inappropriately romantic, perhaps hokey, but it was a relevant, still in motion parallel to my own story. A few take-aways for you...
Her story includes a broken engagement followed by an ill-fated romance, a not well suited career change and the purchase of a dilapidated old cottage. She referred to buying Bee Cottage as her "Tale of Redemption" as a follow up to her ineffective life strategy. Frances needed to get her life and house back together, and so she made a personal decision to honor her spirit and her own integrity. In doing so, perhaps her most poignant statement of truth that left us all rolling; "The truth will set you free, but honey it will wring your ass out first!"
When she made this decision, Frances was inspired and found herself in the midst of experiencing "divine synchronicity." She began transforming her new cottage and as the house came together, so did she. She encouraged us all to do the same. "Whatever it is that interests you, even those that may not lead to a cure for cancer, do what is YOUR truth. Our natural gifts and talents are part of the blue print of our souls. Get rid of that old Ikea couch or the toxic friend or family member in your life, and embrace the joy that inspires you. When you pursue life this way, it radiates to everyone around us. It is for the good of the world."
Following yesterday's post on the summer trend yellow, I thought it appropriate to share this photo of my yellow House of Landor vintage dress taken with Frances' very lovely sister Duvall. It was such a splendid day! You can purchase a copy of Frances' Book about Bee Cottage and her story HERE.
