The Ripple Effect

My parents live on Whidbey Island and we enjoy a week's vacation on the island two times a year. In the past I've always enjoyed perusing the small local shops - much as many folks do here in Hood River while visiting the Gorge. Though with my strict budget in mind I've rarely spent money, that is, until the last year or two.

I think it's the perspective of running a retail business of my own that has inspired me to increase my small purchasing. There is nothing quite so discouraging for a small retail shop than to have customer after customer come in, tell you how much they love it, make a request or two about inventory and then leave without a purchase.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not talking about the beloved local regulars who intentionally shop with us and also come by just to say hi once in while. And the last thing I want is for someone to make a token purchase of something they really don't need nor want. But what I've recognized in myself - when I'm on the other end of the counter - is a desire to support small business. And when I'm in a retail shop that is working to create a lovely little niche for itself and speaks to me in one way or another I can support that effort with a purchase. In my case, it's often a small purchase - a gift for a friend, or relative, a bar of chocolate, a book I can enjoy and pass along.

And here's the interesting part. As I walk out of the shop - I feel good! Most cases I'm still being frugal - not an over the top purchase for my budget. Often it's for someone else - that feels great anticipating their future enjoyment. And I've supported a local shop that I really hope will continue to be there when next I come this way again.

I used to think - how will my one little drop in the bucket make a difference? As a retailer I now know that the ripples of one little purchase, on top of another little purchase, followed by another little purchase create a great deal of difference in the expansion of abundance and prosperity both literally and figuratively.

Karen

March 27-29 the Fair Trade Federation will celebrate it's 15th birthday at it's annual national conference in Portland! And even more exciting to us - DeLona and I will be there! Though we attended the Green Business Conference in San Francisco a few years back since then we've poured all our time, energy and earnings back into the shop. However since the D.C. based organization is travelling all this way to convene in Oregon we couldn't pass of the opportunity to join the fun.

We're looking forward to tapping into the knowledge, inspiration, and experience of the larger Fair Trade movement! We'll also be networking with other small green business retailers and wholesalers. Our hope is to earn enough over the next couple weeks in the shop to be able to bring in some new inventory from fresh new Fair Trade connections made at the conference!

No doubt we'll be sharing some of our conference adventures here later this month!

Karen

What 3 incredible lessons did I learn in the hills of El Salvador?

I first discovered and celebrated International Women’s Day with a large group of Salvadoran women and children at the Segundo Montes repopulated refugee community on March 8, 1992.

That day I heard the experiences of mothers, grandmothers, and young women who had suffered through years of civil war, the loss of villages, and the flight across borders with soldiers and helicopters on their heels. I heard about the struggle to survive from a women’s perspective as partners, and mothers many of whom were left to raise children, and scrape out a living in exile while their men were absorbed into one side of the war or the other, disappeared, or killed. These were tales of true survivors – some of whom where not yet healed.

As the day progressed I also heard stories of women joining together to care for each other and their children and to take up positions of leadership in the rebuilding of the community. At the end of the day we joined hands in a circle to laugh and sing and send out prayers.

Now 18 years later I see clearly the 3 incredible lessons I absorbed that day:

1. Regardless of the hardship you suffer there is a strength and perseverance of spirit that only develops under severe stress but from which new life and renewed hope can grow.

2. Focus on what you have and what is here – not on what you don’t have. Be active in the solution to your situation. In the translated words of another Segundo Montes visitor about what he saw, “wealth is created from the inside out.”

3. Both numbers 1 & 2 are vastly enhanced if you do it in community. When working together it’s easier (and more fun) to live with joy and hope in the moment and take advantage of opportunities to celebrate the achievements already made though the road ahead appears long and hard.

Karen

P.S. Celebrate International Woman’s Day on the 8th! You will be participating in a nearly 100 year old tradition with women, men and children from around the world! Go to http://www.internationalwomensday.com/ to learn more.

P.S.S. 70% of Fair Trade producers are women! Fair Trade supports women to not only survive but thrive, create, and live in joy and health!