a warm and fuzzy feeling

On my way to work today, I suddenly remembered a friend. I took out my phone and texted “Girl, have been to the doc yet?”. Then, I waited for reply from my dear friend...

It is strange how relationship develops. I still remember the day when we first met. She has contacted me to stock one of the brand that she's distributing in Singapore. And we agreed to meet at Parkway Parade. We chatted for hours. This lady, on our first meeting, shared with me her passion for green products, environmental issues and her ideals of helping the less fortunate. Big dreams for a small-sized lady.

Well, I didn’t list her brand on my webstore eventually and we didn't keep in contact. But we met again when we took part in the same fair with a common friend. From then on, two mummies from different backgrounds, together with our common friend, took part in various fairs. Then in 2010, three of us decided to band together to open a brick and mortar boutique to showcase the brands that we love. It was then my dear friend and I got really close. We share tips and experiences on our businesses, even rants about our daily family life. She opened my eyes to issues on the negative impact clothing manufacturing has on the environment, on how toxic materials are used to produce the lovely toys that our children play, on how workers are treated unfairly by the employers. We search actively globally for social responsible children related products to introduce to parents in Singapore. We wanted to offer better alternatives to what is currently available in Singapore market. Among the three of us, she spend the most time at our boutique, clocking at least 6 hours for 6 days a week. Without my friend, our boutique wouldn’t have lasted 1.5yrs.

Her life has not been smooth sailing but she has overcome each obstacles that were thrown in her path and emerged stronger. Through it all, she’s still able to open her heart to love the people around her. I am always amaze at her energy level and never-say-die attitude. It is comforting to know that she will always be ready to offer a listening ear, a shoulder to cry on or an encouraging pat... whenever I needed them.

So, here’s a toast to you Belinda, my dear friend.... cheers!

pssst... please go see a doc soon.