Few of us realize how much, or how many we touch, throughout an ordinary day. The face of the children that you kiss good morning. The plates of the meal that you made for your family. The phone that keeps you in touch with ones that you love. The door handle that you turn as you rush out to get to work. The coffee cup that you bring to a friend that has a deadline on a rare day that you do not. The ring that you mindlessly turn on your finger as you are sorting out a solution; (a habit that the one who gave it to you notices, that you never do). The hundreds of things at work, and later at home, that keep your world, and world of those around you, organized and manageable.
Sometimes, your smile, a nod of appreciation, or an encouraging word are the "fingerprint" that you leave.
This week, for us, it was a picture.
One of our customers sent us a picture of the fingerprints that she noticed on her clay bracelet. Though as far from our palm laden island as possible, our Chicago Simbi Girl, wrote to us to share that the fingerprint of the woman that she could "almost picture" making her bracelet, made her better appreciate the job that she was off to on a sluggish Monday, as well as reminded her of how important supporting women's education and job training was in countries that were burdened by financial strife. It was the fingerprint of a working woman like her, she said. But, a woman who perhaps did not have all of the advantages that she, herself, had been privy to.
That made us smile.
Yes, everything that we sell allows for continued water purification for children in Haiti. But on every bead, tassel or strip of material, are the fingerprints of the women that shape and make our wares, so that they can go home, and leave their fingerprints on the most important thing they ever created: the face of the children that they love and are providing for.
Simbi was founded by two working mothers. Thank you to Jen for reminding us why we love what we do. You left your fingerprint on us today.
- CD