Greetings!
I would like to open the July newsletter by wishing you and your families a very memorable 4th of July! For me, July 4th represents a paramount day that I share with friends, family, and staff to celebrate our country's independence. Until moving to the United States over 25 years ago from Trinidad, I hadn't put meaning to the word freedom. My eyes completely opened the day my husband Andy and I moved to Massachusetts. This country has invariably blessed us with many opportunities. Some of those liberties include opening Allure MedSpa's doors, raising my children in a safe environment; where they are able to attend great educational institutions, and providing my family with a home and a community to be a part of. We are so proud as Americans to raise our flag high in the sky and to have it overlooking our home.
As many of you know, my staff are rich with many different ethnic and cultural backgrounds. I looked to some of my staff to share their first perspectives of arriving in the United States. Lorraine, who is originally from Ireland, reflected that she loved the diversity, variety and availability of food in the U.S. Viola who is a native of Albania, remarked how much she loved the local shopping centers including grocery stores and malls! Most of the other staff members who also came from other countries agreed that when they came to the United States, they couldn't believe how well-kept the cities were.
I once read a book by an Indian Christian missionary, Sundar Singh, about his coming to America. He was most amazed by the long and extensive aisles of pet food offered in our grocery stores. Where he comes from, cats and dogs roam the streets and eat whatever they can find yet here in American, pet food is something many of us pick up on a normal basis. We are so used to this and we take it as the ordinary yet for someone from another country, it was such an astonishment that he took the time to write about it in his book. Sometimes we take for granted the availability and convenience of what we have as Americans.
I brought my son Christian to Trinidad for the first time when he was 3 and a half to visit our family. The perception that stayed with him for many years, is the vision that Trinidad was a jungle and was so foreign from his home in Massachusetts.
In 2011, I encouraged my staff to step out of their comfort levels and travel to Bangladesh which is known to be a very a poor and corrupt nation. A team of Allure Spa employees and First Presbyterian Church members traveled to Bangladesh to teach young adult orphans the vocation of cosmetology and other basic principles. We helped those who were less fortunate and in return, they opened our eyes to another world. I remember Julianne coming home from the Banldesh trip and comparing living in the United States to winning a very expensive lottery ticket. She felt so lucky and blessed to have had the privilege to be raised in the United States. The perspective of the world changed for Keleigh, Molly, Julianne and Kathleen on the return of that mission.
However, freedom for our country has never been free and always comes with a price. With the United States' rich history and infamous leaders, I am reminded to reflect on these special individuals during the 4th of July holiday. I also wanted to thank all of our important and heroic service men and women who fight for our freedom each day.
I am going to close this newsletter with a quote from Thomas Jefferson. "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."
