if not me...
If not us, then who If not me and you Right now, it’s time for us to do something If not now, then when Will we see an end To all this pain It’s not enough to do nothing It’s time for us to do something ~ Matthew West
It is 1995 and a boy sits alone at the lunch table. He's skinny and quiet, wearing a tattered Polo shirt. His name is Don. He typically roams the halls during lunch to avoid scenes like this, but today he is starved... So he eats, dodging occasional cheeto bullets from the next table. It is Friday so pep rally excitement fills the air. Don stares at his food, likely battling an internal voice yelling GET UP! RUN AWAY! And perhaps the voice almost wins. He's picking up his half-eaten tray when a cheerleader takes the seat beside him. She glares at her friends who sheepishly put their chips away as she starts a conversation. His behavior is often odd, to be sure, but he means no harm (years later he will be diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome). The bell rings and she rises to leave. He flashes a cautious smile and holds his head a little higher. They don't become best friends or eat together every day, but this is the last time he will feel humiliated and alone in the cafeteria. A line has been drawn in the sand, and a light cast on mean behavior that will no longer be glorified or tolerated. One girl, one small act of courage and kindness changes everything.
What did her parents do? Why, in the midst so much wrong, did she choose RIGHT? And how can we grow little humans who will become assets to humanity? Bullying, my friends, is alive and well... And not isolated to children. Social media has exacerbated the problem, allowing people to abuse one another behind the relative safety of their computers. And, good people, fearing they might be the next victim of widespread attacks, are unwilling to defend or protect the wronged. Like wildfire, negative news spreads, lies become truth, and wrongdoing is praised and passed on. Yikes. Thought it was hard being a kid in 1995? Good luck to our children if we don't make a stand now. We started Well Dressed Wolf with little more than a dream, a few sketches and our innocence. Somehow, little by little, our baby company started growing... and in just a few years has become something we never imagined. Along the way we have made friends (so many friends!). We've gained wisdom, honed our craft, learned valuable (sometimes costly!) lessons in business, and watched women come together for the good of each other and the world. We've celebrated babies being born and literally watched children grow up through pictures (wearing WDW!). In the early days, we jumped right into social media, joining the many groups that popped up in our name. Having never been involved in the underground world of children's clothing, it was a rush! Interacting with customers on such a personal level was thrilling and gratifying... Until it wasn't. Recently, we have stepped away from all groups (most of which are lovely places full of wonderful women!) because it was necessary. We didn't start this business to referee or participate in sparring factions of clothing lovers and buyers and sellers. We aren't politicians and have no desire to be. Our daily posts shouldn't be planned like a State of the Union address-- each word measured and monitored for potential hidden meaning or intention. We started this journey because we LOVE to design adorable things for your children and we LOVE getting to know so many good people who have rallied around our brand (and there are so many good people). In fact, a positive and inspiring community group will soon be launched exclusively for friends of Well Dressed Wolf. We hope you'll take part! We plan to pop in periodically and you'll get sneaks, make supportive friendships, take part in giveaways and have opportunities to help make the world a BETTER PLACE. It really is time to make social media a more positive experience again- for our children; for ourselves. Adults bullying one another and harassing businesses should never be okay.
As we tell our own children, you have CHOICES every day: seek darkness or seek light. Make a positive impact on the world or a negative one. Seek to inspire or to destroy. Do what you know is right- even when it isn't "cool". Don't seek revenge (no matter how much you want to!) and pray for the people who hurt you (this one is a toughie!). You aren't perfect and you'll make mistakes, so learn to apologize and forgive. Be honest, but be kind. Truth doesn't have to hurt... THESE are goals for our own lives (and business), and though we sometimes fall short, we are confident in the path we've chosen.
You're living the one and only life that God has gifted you, so make it count.
Love,
Sarah and Shannon
On that note, let's celebrate being good today. We have some sweet giveaways and links to happy places below:
- Our mantra for the day is BE A NICE HUMAN! And guess what? Our dear friend launched a company built to inspire just that! Our new favorite tank reminds everyone we meet to behave nicely in a modern, graphically pleasing font (bonus!). Danielle has generously offered a shirt, bag, candle and bracelet to one lucky person! Sidenote: you'll want to buy some for everyone you know, so here is their facebook page (where they happen to be hosting a giveaway of their own, so go check it out!).
- We are all works-in-progress. The Finishing School is a book we genuinely look forward to delving into! Several of our friends have also purchased the pre-order and we plan to work through the chapters together, encouraging one another along the way. Valerie of Val Marie Papers has generously offered a book for one of you!
- This little cardi/vest/sweater is the most versatile thing our my closets (yes, we both have one!). Dress it up, dress it down... Wear it as a long sleeveless vest or long-sleeved cozy cardi. Add a tank, skinnies & boots - and you're ready to hit the streets and make good things happen. One lucky winner will receive this beauty, but keep your eye on Buckle for restocks or similar items!
- Luxe by Virtue is a good friend's jewelry line. Tracy's pieces are stunning and available only through boutiques and high end retailers... and here for one lucky person! This brand stands for all of the things we love: goodness, righteousness, integrity, dignity, honor, nobility, purity and worthiness (a portion of all proceeds go to Giving Hope NOLA, dedicated to feeding needy elderly in New Orleans). We are so excited to share these pieces with one of you. You can see more of her glistening beauties by following her Instagram and you can purchase online at Shop Bella Vita.
My daughter is only 20 months old, yet I tell her each and every day to be kind and lovely to everyone. My little sister has problems with being bullied at school. She is on the Autism spectrum and doesn’t exactly fit in, no matter how pretty she is nor how well she dresses…she cannot change this part of her. It’s who she is, and I wish so much that every parent would encourage their babies to be kind and loving to everyone. Everyone deserves kindness. Everyone deserves loving treatment.
“The way you speak to your children, becomes their inner voice”.
This wisdom changed my life. I was a screamer. Lost my cool on a daily basis. By asking the Holy Spirit to fill my heart with His love each and every morning changed the way I looked at my kids (all 4 of them). Now all I want is for them to see Jesus and feel Him in our home so that they can share His love with the world. Their inner voice will be heard among the masses. Make sure it’s a good one ;-)
Jesus. He is the answer to all problems. Model your life after his. Let your children see you walk out your faith, not just talk about it on Sundays. Remember that we have no inner goodness of our own, grown ups and children alike, and the only goodness we have comes from Christ. And most importantly, pray, pray, pray for them .
My daughter just turned 1, so I don’t have any experiences with her yet, but truly believe your children will mimick the way YOU act. It’s important for them to see you lifting people up, instead of making fun of them. Being kind a characteristic that is VERY important to me and my family. And I pray that I teach my children to be kind people who love all of gods people, to be leaders and stand up for what they know is right. Kids can be cruel but adults can be even more cruel. Being a kind person starts within the heart. ❤️ Being a beautiful person is more than how you are dressed, it’s much deeper than that.
From a Christian song by TobyMac – "It’s crazy, amazing
We can turn a heart with the words we say.
Mountains crumble with every syllable.
Hope can live or die
So speak Life, speak Life.
To the deadest darkest night.
Speak life, speak Life.
When the sun won’t shine and you don’t know why.
Look into the eyes of the brokenhearted;
Watch them come alive as soon as you speak hope,
You speak love, you speak…
BE THE GOOD YOU WANT TO SEE IN YOUR CHILDREN.
Several months ago, I was standing in line at a discount grocery store and a woman in front of me was totaling groceries as they went by on the conveyor. She had two children with her. As the total increased, so did her apparent anxiety. She soon started pulling things off the conveyor and making a separate pile. She leaned in to the cashier and said, “I need you to stop at $40.” Her gallon of milk put her 85 cents over. She began to dig through her purse frantically looking for change. Without one thought, I handed over the $1 bill I had in my wallet. She looked at me and apologetically said “Thank you.” I know she meant it because I’ve been in that very position.
There are moments in life where you feel God’s voice speaking to your heart, and this was one of those times. As the woman began to bag her groceries, I told the cashier to ring up the pile of groceries she wasn’t able to get. My 14-year-old son would take an armful at a time and carry them over to the counter where the woman was bagging her groceries. I can still remember the look of utter shock on the woman’s face when my son handed her a bunch of bananas and started putting the groceries in her boxes. All she could do was say “thank you” between deep breaths. Then her daughter, she was maybe 5 or 6, exclaimed with such excitment “You mean I get to keep the pickles?!” My son had the jar in his hands and he happily said “Yes, you do.” In that moment, I had to wipe away a tear. My son handed her the jar, jumped up and down, did his hand flapping, squealed joyfully and came back to me with a huge smile.
He remembers every moment of this event like a movie playing in his head. He often talks about it. It made such an impression on him, which isn’t easy to do sometimes.
My son has Aspergers.
Best $33.20 I’ve ever spent.