Surely Autumn Has Come

Surely Autumn has come to sunny Southern California. Sweltering, simmering Summer sunshine still heats the air, the ground, and everything in between, making her final, furious stand as the first leaves start to turn and the calendar insists her time is nearly done for 2012. Blistering temperatures and monsoon weather- nonetheless, surely Autumn has come.

Surely Autumn has also come into my life. A year ago I launched into my own Act 3: WE Care Jewelry & Accessories, LLC a social entrepreneur venture that fills my soul with joy and daily melts away years of pent up stress. I kick myself occassionally for not leaving my old job sooner and starting this project. But hey, I'm still (barely) in my 40's and finally doing what I love, so I can't complain.

Next month, I plan to be back in Kenya working on establishing a co-op where women who are unemployed, underemployed, or unhappily employed can train as artisans and learn to craft beautiful jewelry, sell it at Fair Trade prices, and earn a better living. My goal and prayer is to provide a safe, honest avenue for employment to vulnerable women who would normally be forced to make a living by losing their dignity- either through prostitution or taking menial, no-future jobs, doing whatever they have to to scrape together a few shillings to feed their kids. I want to reach the women who have been abused, abandoned, lack education, or through living a hard life have lost the belief that they deserve more. Just as I was given a second chance, and healing, and hope- I want to offer the same. It may sound weird, but I feel as though I have to- as though my very soul drives me forward and requires it.

And so, as with changing leaves and longer shadows and before too long, that wonderful buzz, that crispness that fills the air and replaces Summer's humid presence- my life has changed. The natural transition from child to adult to middle age, so many calendar pages turned, so many years passed. And now it's here- cool, crisp, electric, unstoppable. Surely Autumn has come.

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