thanks for nothing I didn’t see it coming
coming
coming one day I was a successful restaurant
one day I was a successful restaurant
one day I was a successful restaurant tour in New York City and Nantucket
tour in New York City and Nantucket
tour in New York City and Nantucket Island and three months later I had
Island and three months later I had
Island and three months later I had nothing
nothing
nothing my husband was facing the reality of a
my husband was facing the reality of a
my husband was facing the reality of a sexual identity our beautiful Nantucket
sexual identity our beautiful Nantucket
sexual identity our beautiful Nantucket home went into foreclosure and our two
home went into foreclosure and our two
home went into foreclosure and our two thriving restaurants were reclaimed by
thriving restaurants were reclaimed by
thriving restaurants were reclaimed by our investors and I was left with
our investors and I was left with
our investors and I was left with nothing well not exactly nothing
nothing well not exactly nothing
nothing well not exactly nothing I had my kids with no way to support
I had my kids with no way to support
I had my kids with no way to support them but me I took full responsibility
them but me I took full responsibility
them but me I took full responsibility for all three children one still in
for all three children one still in
for all three children one still in diapers penniless and on unemployment I
diapers penniless and on unemployment I
diapers penniless and on unemployment I was 40 years old I discovered Buddhism
was 40 years old I discovered Buddhism
was 40 years old I discovered Buddhism through chanting nam-myoho-renge-kyo and
through chanting nam-myoho-renge-kyo and
through chanting nam-myoho-renge-kyo and basing my life on this law of causing
basing my life on this law of causing
basing my life on this law of causing effect I began to feel wisdom clarity
effect I began to feel wisdom clarity
effect I began to feel wisdom clarity and access to my greatest potential this
and access to my greatest potential this
and access to my greatest potential this was the key to transforming my
was the key to transforming my
was the key to transforming my misfortune into fortune a sunray of hope
misfortune into fortune a sunray of hope
misfortune into fortune a sunray of hope among a very scary reality losing it all
among a very scary reality losing it all
among a very scary reality losing it all was life giving me the chance to start
was life giving me the chance to start
was life giving me the chance to start fresh I had no one to rely on but myself
fresh I had no one to rely on but myself
fresh I had no one to rely on but myself but thanks to my strong determination
but thanks to my strong determination
but thanks to my strong determination and discipline I began to feel dialed
and discipline I began to feel dialed
and discipline I began to feel dialed into my own unique path once I gained
into my own unique path once I gained
into my own unique path once I gained the courage to return to my career as a
the courage to return to my career as a
the courage to return to my career as a restaurateur and open refuel Oh a small
restaurateur and open refuel Oh a small
restaurateur and open refuel Oh a small neighborhood cafe in Brookline I
neighborhood cafe in Brookline I
neighborhood cafe in Brookline I struggled so much my very essence was
struggled so much my very essence was
struggled so much my very essence was shaken to the core day to day I never
shaken to the core day to day I never
shaken to the core day to day I never knew whether I would have the finances
knew whether I would have the finances
knew whether I would have the finances to keep the doors open going to the bank
to keep the doors open going to the bank
to keep the doors open going to the bank was gut-wrenching I tried to hold my
was gut-wrenching I tried to hold my
was gut-wrenching I tried to hold my head high but I was ashamed of the
head high but I was ashamed of the
head high but I was ashamed of the balances and the overdrafts in my
balances and the overdrafts in my
balances and the overdrafts in my account my investors were beginning to
account my investors were beginning to
account my investors were beginning to question my my direction and whether I
question my my direction and whether I
question my my direction and whether I could succeed I worked day and night
could succeed I worked day and night
could succeed I worked day and night going home late at night keeping the
going home late at night keeping the
going home late at night keeping the household together cleaning up after the
household together cleaning up after the
household together cleaning up after the dog we never could potty train
dog we never could potty train
dog we never could potty train helping the kids with homework it seemed
helping the kids with homework it seemed
helping the kids with homework it seemed never-ending I learned how to create
never-ending I learned how to create
never-ending I learned how to create value in every single moment of the day
value in every single moment of the day
value in every single moment of the day it was goddamn hard and not pretty but I
it was goddamn hard and not pretty but I
it was goddamn hard and not pretty but I didn’t give up rising early every
didn’t give up rising early every
didn’t give up rising early every morning leaving the house before the
morning leaving the house before the
morning leaving the house before the kids I would go to work
kids I would go to work
kids I would go to work scared shitless not knowing what I would
scared shitless not knowing what I would
scared shitless not knowing what I would face or whether I would be capable of
face or whether I would be capable of
face or whether I would be capable of handling it I didn’t know the community
handling it I didn’t know the community
handling it I didn’t know the community and the community didn’t know me I was
and the community didn’t know me I was
and the community didn’t know me I was under constant scrutiny from family
under constant scrutiny from family
under constant scrutiny from family members and friends how was I going to
members and friends how was I going to
members and friends how was I going to raise a six nine and thirteen year old
raise a six nine and thirteen year old
raise a six nine and thirteen year old while simultaneously trying to build a
while simultaneously trying to build a
while simultaneously trying to build a business to support us that consumed all
business to support us that consumed all
business to support us that consumed all of my time I couldn’t even afford
of my time I couldn’t even afford
of my time I couldn’t even afford childcare most of the time my kids were
childcare most of the time my kids were
childcare most of the time my kids were left to their own devices which made me
left to their own devices which made me
left to their own devices which made me feel horribly irresponsible watching
feel horribly irresponsible watching
feel horribly irresponsible watching them take a heavy load of responsibility
them take a heavy load of responsibility
them take a heavy load of responsibility with very few resources was painful I
with very few resources was painful I
with very few resources was painful I often felt I had failed as a parent
often felt I had failed as a parent
often felt I had failed as a parent balancing their needs with my
balancing their needs with my
balancing their needs with my responsibilities stretched my life
responsibilities stretched my life
responsibilities stretched my life beyond what I ever thought I was capable
beyond what I ever thought I was capable
beyond what I ever thought I was capable of handling failing in this case was not
of handling failing in this case was not
of handling failing in this case was not an option
an option
an option my life was strengthening here is where
my life was strengthening here is where
my life was strengthening here is where destiny meets reality because the
destiny meets reality because the
destiny meets reality because the struggle that I went through to realize
struggle that I went through to realize
struggle that I went through to realize a dream
a dream
a dream the losing it all and the nothingness I
the losing it all and the nothingness I
the losing it all and the nothingness I was left with was actually the catalyst
was left with was actually the catalyst
was left with was actually the catalyst to transform my small shallow life into
to transform my small shallow life into
to transform my small shallow life into a contributing community member a joyful
a contributing community member a joyful
a contributing community member a joyful mother sister daughter aunt even ex-wife
mother sister daughter aunt even ex-wife
mother sister daughter aunt even ex-wife with thriving kids and a successful
with thriving kids and a successful
with thriving kids and a successful entrepreneur what I have gained is the
entrepreneur what I have gained is the
entrepreneur what I have gained is the stand alone courage to be true to myself
stand alone courage to be true to myself
stand alone courage to be true to myself and to be someone who could encourage
and to be someone who could encourage
and to be someone who could encourage others to their own victories and
others to their own victories and
others to their own victories and through all this muck and back-breaking
through all this muck and back-breaking
through all this muck and back-breaking work something beautiful has evolved in
work something beautiful has evolved in
work something beautiful has evolved in my family we have redefined our family
my family we have redefined our family
my family we have redefined our family unit and we are so proud of its
unit and we are so proud of its
unit and we are so proud of its diversity my kids now ages 10 13 and 16
diversity my kids now ages 10 13 and 16
diversity my kids now ages 10 13 and 16 are growing into young capable adults
are growing into young capable adults
are growing into young capable adults they handle difficult situations with
they handle difficult situations with
they handle difficult situations with deft and confidence they advocate for
deft and confidence they advocate for
deft and confidence they advocate for themselves they care about and for other
themselves they care about and for other
themselves they care about and for other people they clearly have seen the power
people they clearly have seen the power
people they clearly have seen the power of perseverance and determination they
of perseverance and determination they
of perseverance and determination they too have had to create value where there
too have had to create value where there
too have had to create value where there was none and they too have benefited
was none and they too have benefited
was none and they too have benefited from struggle and overcoming adversity
from struggle and overcoming adversity
from struggle and overcoming adversity now that our needs are well met through
now that our needs are well met through
now that our needs are well met through my thriving business I’m free to be the
my thriving business I’m free to be the
my thriving business I’m free to be the complete person I want to be which
complete person I want to be which
complete person I want to be which includes my desire to connect people
includes my desire to connect people
includes my desire to connect people with food I have always felt like we can
with food I have always felt like we can
with food I have always felt like we can change the world by breaking bread at
change the world by breaking bread at
change the world by breaking bread at the table important conversations begin
the table important conversations begin
the table important conversations begin at the table growing up in the Midwest
at the table growing up in the Midwest
at the table growing up in the Midwest my memories of eating meals together
my memories of eating meals together
my memories of eating meals together with friends and family gave me a sense
with friends and family gave me a sense
with friends and family gave me a sense of confidence and community I want to
of confidence and community I want to
of confidence and community I want to create this unity with my food the very
create this unity with my food the very
create this unity with my food the very definition of refuel Oh a place where
definition of refuel Oh a place where
definition of refuel Oh a place where people come together and meet
people come together and meet
people come together and meet persevering through my darkest moments
persevering through my darkest moments
persevering through my darkest moments has enabled me to fortify in strength in
has enabled me to fortify in strength in
has enabled me to fortify in strength in my life not because I’ve done something
my life not because I’ve done something
my life not because I’ve done something extraordinary but because I have broken
extraordinary but because I have broken
extraordinary but because I have broken through my own narrow limitations and
through my own narrow limitations and
through my own narrow limitations and out of myself when I see friends and
out of myself when I see friends and
out of myself when I see friends and families and join meals together
families and join meals together
families and join meals together newborn babies now walking in the door
newborn babies now walking in the door
newborn babies now walking in the door in turns refueling for another shift my
in turns refueling for another shift my
in turns refueling for another shift my 89 year old good friend bill conversing
89 year old good friend bill conversing
89 year old good friend bill conversing with high school teenagers I feel such
with high school teenagers I feel such
with high school teenagers I feel such joy together with my customers where if
joy together with my customers where if
joy together with my customers where if reuleaux has become a space where it
reuleaux has become a space where it
reuleaux has become a space where it feels good to walk in the door it feels
feels good to walk in the door it feels
feels good to walk in the door it feels good to support each other this is my
good to support each other this is my
good to support each other this is my vision of community courage to me is
vision of community courage to me is
vision of community courage to me is never giving up even though we may not
never giving up even though we may not
never giving up even though we may not visibly see the outcome we are living in
visibly see the outcome we are living in
visibly see the outcome we are living in an age now where society is deeply
an age now where society is deeply
an age now where society is deeply lacking a sense of togetherness so what
lacking a sense of togetherness so what
lacking a sense of togetherness so what can we do right now let’s take a look at
can we do right now let’s take a look at
can we do right now let’s take a look at the family table that few join anymore
the family table that few join anymore
the family table that few join anymore how have we lost the value of this
how have we lost the value of this
how have we lost the value of this precious family time and how could we
precious family time and how could we
precious family time and how could we reconnect with our families to get that
reconnect with our families to get that
reconnect with our families to get that I’m excited to rush to the family table
I’m excited to rush to the family table
I’m excited to rush to the family table and tell their memories of the day we
and tell their memories of the day we
and tell their memories of the day we need this family table as I look back on
need this family table as I look back on
need this family table as I look back on my life thus far I see clearly that it
my life thus far I see clearly that it
my life thus far I see clearly that it is the challenges that we are faced with
is the challenges that we are faced with
is the challenges that we are faced with that are the exact medicine we need in
that are the exact medicine we need in
that are the exact medicine we need in order for us to create change in this
order for us to create change in this
order for us to create change in this world
world
world and right in our environment ironically
and right in our environment ironically
and right in our environment ironically being given the chance to experience
being given the chance to experience
being given the chance to experience life with nothing enables us the ability
life with nothing enables us the ability
life with nothing enables us the ability to see what really matters in life
to see what really matters in life
to see what really matters in life thank you
thank you
thank you [Applause]
”
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