Several years ago I heard about an event that would be happening in Hoboken on the waterfront that a Chef who I admire would be preparing food for in the VIP tent. The event was a technology and innovation conference called Propelify, and the staff member at the Chef's restaurant who told me about it described it in a way that I knew it would be something I'd want to learn more about because of the work that I do with youth and community development. The day of the event I had a very busy schedule, but I decided to try to stop by even if only for a small amount of time to experience at least part of it and say hello to the Chef and see what wonderful things he was creating. I was able to sign up for a ticket, and because I also am on the list for the Jersey City Tech Meetups, I receive regular emails about the event now and sign up for a ticket each year. It's a wonderful event and very exciting to have something like it in Hoboken, and I look forward to hearing about the different topics and information they'll be sharing.
This year, just a few days before the event, I received an email from the organizer with information about a special VIP dinner hosted by David Meltzer that would be held in Hoboken the night before. My week was a very busy one, but the night of the event I did have available, and though I'm in the process of beginning to hang and curate the work for the upcoming show opening at YES Gallery, it sounded like something I needed to follow up about. As anyone who knows me knows, I pray about everything, and I contacted the person listed in the email I'd received feeling as if there was something very important about at least having a conversation. When we spoke I felt even more sure that this dinner was a very special experience that I wouldn't want to miss. It was being held at Olivia's, a restaurant that I've written about in these pages before that has a marvelous Chef, and it's also where the Sommelier and Artist Joel Liscio whose work is in YES Gallery is the Manager and where I had my Grand Opening Night VIP dinner when I opened YES Gallery in August of 2022.
I signed up for a ticket, knowing that it would be a memorable night and it was. David Meltzer was there when I arrived, and right after he introduced himself to me he began introducing me to other people who he thought I might like to meet because of the different aspects of the work that I do. The dinner of course was spectacular, and the conversation I had at my table was so enjoyable. There were two panels of VIP guests to discussed different aspects of their own work and answered questions from the audience, and the things that everyone spoke about were enlightening, important, and helpful for entrepreneurs and business owners from all walks of life.
There was a book that was written by David Meltzer at every seat at the table, Connected To Goodness, and when I began to read it the next evening I found that it had so many ideas and experiences in it that though they were unique to David Meltzer and his journey, they resonated with me in many ways. As I have written about in these pages before, when I was born again it was a time of spiritual awakening that came after a very dark time in my life when I had lost everything, and the knowledge that I was filled with at that time and in the years after has been not only life changing by helping me to live my life in a better way, but also has led me to do the work that I do. Doors were opened and I met people in truly miraculous ways that led me on a journey of discovery and learning and training and growth. I began writing this blog and sharing about that adventure in 2013 and stopped for a while, beginning again in 2015 with this new section that I've subtitled An Abundant Life to share with others that we can have abundance in every part of our life experience by connecting with each other in meaningful ways and supporting and encouraging and growing together.
My schedule these days with YES Gallery is so busy that it's difficult to find time to add a new book to my reading list, but I've made time to read "Connected to Goodness. When enlightening words and people appear in my life I am blessed, and I look forward to the next chapters of the future as they unfold.
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