“Beautiful people don’t just happen.”

Alright Everyone!!!!

I need your help! I’d like to start by saying thank you for all the wonderful warmth and feedback you have left in your comments!!!  I am sorry I haven’t had a chance to reply yet, but I can assure you that I read every one.

The favor I need to ask everyone has to do with my friend Kelly (from My Time Is Now).  Most of you are probably pretty familiar with her name by now (and hopefully you have also checked out here awesome blog…conveniently also located in my blogroll).  Kelly and I met through boot camp.  We bonded pretty quickly and came to discover we had more in common than we ever could have imagined.  She has been an amazing friend to me, and an inspiration to those of us who know and love her.

For almost as long as I have known her, Kelly has been going through the process of extricating herself from an abusive relationship- all while dealing with her mother having cancer and trying to be the best mom and healthiest version of herself possible.  She has busted her tail at the gym and lost over half of herself, and through the process has become a whole new person.  She has worked so hard to rebuild her self esteem and reclaim her identity, and she truly deserves every happiness in life.

In case you didn’t know, she is also the girl who ran the Color Me Rad as a “trash the dress” session.  It took a significant amount of courage and strength on her part to put that dress on and run.  Going through a divorce (or any break up) is hard enough, but to go through the mental and verbal abuse she’s been through and still be able to say “THIS IS ME” and pick up and carry on is just unbelievable to me.  I WISH I had that kind of strength when I was in her position.  This girl is SO MUCH more amazing than even she realizes.

This weekend I will be doing the Relay for Life with Kelly in honor of her mom and would really like to raise some money on her behalf.  Anyone willing to donate it would be greatly appreciated.

However, the REAL reason I have requested everyone’s help is that Kelly has been dealing with a lot of unnecessary drama recently, including some surrounding the now infamous dress trashing (some people apparently have a burning need to stir up trouble… what ever happened to behaving like an adult and minding your own business?).  I have tried to explain to Kelly that I went through some similar drama with my divorce.  Some people are just inherently threatened by strong, motivated individuals, ESPECIALLY when those individuals seem happy in times when they should be falling apart.  They feel the need to take it upon themselves to tear them down.  Bullies ARE OPPORTUNISTS and can smell vulnerability a mile away.  I know she is smart enough to realize that when people are cruel and vicious toward her it truly comes from their own misery; however, it doesn’t make it any less hurtful or exhausting.  No one wants to deal with the ugly side of people, and no one should ever have to.  I am sure that as soon as she is in a better place, those haters are going to scatter (and with any luck, hide under a rock), but right now she is still vulnerable and doesn’t have the energy to stand up and fight back that she would otherwise.

Kelly didn’t believe me when I told her how many people were inspired by her dress trashing at Color Me Rad.  I think it’s hard for her to see what a gift she has for touching other people.  What I am asking is for everyone who has a spare second to go over to her blog and show her some love.