Her name is Nicole, she is 40 years-old and I met her at a Dress for Success luncheon where my son Sam was getting an award. In between food courses and short speeches, we chatted.
Nicole was an “army brat” whose father was in the military. The family moved constantly until Nicole was a sophomore in high school. Total moves: 17 times.
“It was not conducive to making or keeping friends,” Nicole laments.
After a stint in college, Nicole married and gave birth to two sons, who are now 13 and 7. She also has a son who is 18 years old in college in Tallahassee. In their 12thyear of matrimony, two pivotal events occurred:
Nicole’s husband had an affair
Nicole started drinking
Lucky for her, she was able to obtain help from River Oaks Treatment Center.
“It changed my life,” Nicole notes. “I got an amazing therapist that did EMDR therapy to effectively help me with my childhood and adult trauma. And I still work with the same therapist.”
She and her husband split up, agreeing to joint custody of their sons. Nicole then worked two jobs, went back to school and learned to live on her own. Shortly thereafter, she met up with an old boyfriend and they moved in together. Financially, it was a sound choice. Practically, it was not. Her old boyfriend started drinking and the domestic situation turned volatile. Nicole left quickly, only taking what she could pack in her car.
I asked about family. No local ties. Her dad has passed away and her mother takes care of her own mother. Two brothers reside in Tennessee along with the other family members, but her shared custody arrangement mandates she stay in Hillsborough County while her children are in school.
While staying with a series of friends, she fervently searched for affordable housing for herself and her two sons. She fell between the cracks. Her income as an office manager for a medical office that deals with addiction and mental health issues is too much for subsidized housing but too little for her to comfortably afford the high Tampa Bay rents.
Finally a friend came to her aid, offering her a three bedroom, two bath house at a discounted price.
She is moving in August 1.
However, at this point, she has very few possessions. No beds. No table and chairs. No couch. No bedding. No pots and pans.
Nicole does have a place to store things until she moves. And, FYI, she loves a neutral color palate: blue, purple, gray – which she refers to as “calming colors.”
So here is my ask: if you have any miscellaneous household items cluttering up your home or going unused, please consider donating them to Nicole. Please call me at 813-501-7538 or e mail me at preservingyourbloom47@gmail.com and we will arrange for pick-up.
“Many things can be a waste of your effort, but a helping hand is not.”Unknown
Keep Preserving Your Bloom,
