Letter from the Editor, Spring 2023

Time flies when you are having fun. I do not know about you, but I blinked and it is spring in Ohio. Of course, that means as many 45-degree days as 65, but soft earth, chirping birds, and even the onset of allergies (did I say that?) are welcome signals that sunny days are ahead.

This particular winter-into-spring, visits to the funeral home have been more frequent than I would like. Really, is there any pleasant frequency of trips to memorial services? While celebrating the long life of an octogenarian or nonagenarian can be a reason for gratitude, it is tough to see much meaning in the loss of anyone younger - whether sudden or prolonged. Each time I hug a friend who has lost a child, spouse, or parent, I am reminded of just how fleeting our time really is. And, often, it prods me to take stock of how I am spending mine. Shamefully, there is a long list of both things I am doing that I shouldn’t and things I am not doing that I should. If you are an adult human engaged in life, you can probably relate.

A major realization for me: I work way too much. For years a voracious appetite for work was fueled by fear of failure, fear of poverty, and fear of letting people down. Over time, it just became a way of life, and saying “no” to opportunities seemed foolish, if not irresponsible. I always found a way to make time for my kids, and sometimes extended family, but connections with friends my age were sacrificed - as were simple things that really should not be considered indulgences, like time spent in reflection, respite, restoration, and just plain fun.

Countless people told me that my fifties would be better than I thought, and they weren’t wrong. Somehow, when the page on the calendar turned to that anxiously-awaited year, priorities and passions came into sharper focus, and the distance between my heart and head became a little easier to traverse. In the context of one too many funerals this year, I am even more focused on making time for the people and things that I love, though paying bills is an inevitability of life. Gratefully, I have had no shortage of work that feeds in equal parts my bank account and my heart and mind: auctioning and appraising beautiful objects for interesting clients; developing creative strategies and selling all manner of real estate; and, of course, producing central Ohio’s only luxury lifestyle magazine. If that sounds like a lot, that is because it is. Forty-something Amelia found a way to stretch herself thin enough to not only keep that all going but to get four kids launched, weather a divorce, majorly downsize, and rebuild personally and professionally - all while experiencing incredible adventures across a couple of continents. Fifty-something Amelia sees the wisdom in slowing down, sharing the wealth of some pretty wonderful opportunities with others, and continuing to be open to what is yet to come.

Until the next issue, may you have an abundance of presence, balance, and connection.

Warm wishes,

Amelia