While Alison (Mum) is away in north NSW with my sister, niece and nephew she’s left the enews up to me again. Last enews I wrote I talked about a juice diet I’d just done, but having not tried any new health fads recently I wasn’t quite sure what to talk about. I feel at the moment I’m just trying to be stress free and not let the silly season get on top of me as the calendar fills up, and the to-do list grows. And that got me thinking about just how much my mum does, and how she does it all seemingly stress free. Perhaps she really is like that duck on water, frantically paddling below the smooth surface, but she does have some serious control over her stress levels and how her emotions affect her, in a way that most of us would be envious of. So this enews is about ‘Alison Appreciation!’
Coming up to 10 years ago my mum asked me whether I thought she should open a shop at Tunstall Square, and being a 16 year old, and thinking about no one other than myself I said ‘of course! Then I can quit my job at Mr Chook and work for you!’ and I’ve been here ever since. A lot of people are quite surprised to find out that I work with my mum and ask how I do it – don’t you argue or irritate each other? But the answer is no (mostly), I wouldn’t want anyone else as my ‘boss’. My sister also works for Simply Natural, and my brother works with my Dad. We’re a very well balanced family, and seem to all get along really well, and I’d say we have our parents to thank for that. I can’t tell you what they did exactly, but I think teaching us about kindness was a big part of it, and this they did through demonstration.
Something my husband said as our engagement party will always stick with me. I had a migraine on the night, and spent the party in bed very unwell, but did crawl out to hear the speeches. Most of them are a bit of a blur, but my Andrew said something that sunk its way in, he said ‘Everyone at this party either knows how generous Leah’s parents are because they can personally attest to it, or they haven’t met Leah’s parents yet.’ And I thought, how true! In the crowd were my ‘cottage siblings’, the once wild teenagers my parents fostered before they had us kids, my cousin Hayley, who Mum and Dad brought overseas with us when we were both tweens, practitioners from Simply Natural that see every day how hard mum works to provide this amazing space for us all to work, my friends who were always welcome for dinner or a sleepover throughout school and my parents friends who always know that they have someone to talk to, who will support them without judgement as well as many others who all have their own stories to tell, or people who’s stories haven’t begun yet.
They truly are wonderful parents and I’m very blessed.
My mum works harder than anyone else I know (other than maybe my dad), and she does it because she has a vision for a better world. A healthier, happier world. And I’m proud to stand by her side and do what I can to support her in her vision.
So if my mum has helped you in some way, whether it be through her counselling and hypnotherapy, a product she recommended, a referral to a practitioner that made you feel better or you just enjoy reading her enews every week, then let’s support her and her vision of a better future! This silly season choose to shop local, support small business, choose ethically sourced products, steer clear of chemicals in your food, body care and cleaning products, look after your own health and one of the hardest things to do – Stay positive and radiate love not hate! What you appreciate, appreciates!
I’ll leave you with a quote from the magical J.K. Rowling, unlike young Harry Potter, I’m lucky that my mum is still with me, and although I don’t have a ‘mark’ on my forehead to show it, my Mums love has definitely made an impression and shaped me in to the person I am today. Thank you Mum, I love you. Enjoy the rest of your holiday, and we can’t wait to have you back.
“He didn’t realise that love as powerful as a mothers for you leaves it’s own mark” J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter & The Sorcerers Stone
Have a great week,
Warm Regards,
Leah Ryper
Simply Natural Therapies
41 Tunstall Square
East Doncaster
VIC 3109
03 9842 7033
info@simplynaturaltherapies.com.au
www.simplynaturaltherapies.com.au