Farida: The first $5 million dollar hair stylist at VC. . . broken English at times. . . but the biggest heart I’ve ever known. . . she is quiet and easily overlooked. . she looks like a modern mother Teresa. . always full of compliments and sweet words. Farida LOVES the color Orange.
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The other day. . . actually the day after I posted ‘B is for Broken’. . I headed to work. . .
I had been trying for a while to grab lunch with Farida, she would ask me everyday. . . ‘Brittani, can we do lunch today?’
This sweet woman, standing 5’2, with a newly married daughter who just happens to be an amazing doctor. . waited for my response. . . I wanted to so badly, but the way it works behind the desk. . . whoever gets off first goes first. . and so I was closing that nigh. . I wasn’t able to take lunch with her. . yet again. . curious as to why she wanted to have lunch with me.
About an hour later, I began walking to this Mexican place that I love eating. . and I see Farida sitting at a table looking through a menu, and I walked up to her and said. . is this seat taken?!
Being the top-dog of Visible Changes, I asked: “Farida, how did you get here?” her response was without hesitation, and so ‘matter of fact-ly’ “I pray. Everyday I pray”.
and I sat there. . that was all she said. . .
we continued to discuss an array of other things. . and I came back to the first question. . and said “Farida, you’re so humble. . you truly are humble. . how do you stay so humble?” (This woman may be a hair stylist. . but she is very. . very well off)
She kinda smiled, and said, “An empty box. . makes a lot of noise, but a full box. . does not”
She said, “I know that TODAY I am on top, but I may not be tomorrow. . . and so, I just work hard and hope that I can be blessed and stay on top. I pray.”
She continued to tell me about her childhood, and how she grew up very wealthy and then in a flash there was no more money left and she found herself living in a convent. Farida went on to tell me about her battle of cancer and through those two years. . she wasn’t sure what tomorrow would bring. . . 15 years later. . she continues to remind herself,
It was clear that things were on her heart. . and clearly on mine (B is for broken). .
We just looked at one another-tears in both our eyes-and said, “Things could always be worse, right?”
She then handed me money for this trip and said, “You’re doing something amazing.”
in that same ‘matter of fact-ly’ sort of way.
I left lunch feeling, “Today I am on top, I may not be tomorrow, but thank you Lord because today I am.”
