through the eyes of fair Co-Founder & Director Amy Saloner
Written on a tiny piece of paper above my desk is a little reminder of my purpose in this world… one of the lines reads: demonstrating how parenthood can be a personal and spiritual growth path. I have also realized lately how the parenthood part can be interchanged with so many other roles I embrace: owning a business, being in partnership, living in community… the list goes on. I also love the saying: “How you do anything is how you do everything.” Thank you T. Harv Eckert for that gem. Anyone who knows me knows that integrity, honor and purpose are the driving forces of my every day life.
So how do these little gems relate to Your Natural Baby Fair? They are a very personal glimpse into the reality of my experience as the director of this annual event. My business partner asked me to write a blog post about the fair this year as I do after most events we host. I hesitated this time… I asked: ”Do you want a recap or my personal experience?” She paused, “Maybe both” she said. My heart skipped a beat.
Now, I would normally just give you all of the highlights and a rundown of all of the awesomeness that happened on April 27, 2013 at the Sheraton San Diego Hotel and Marina. Like Dr. Sear’s funny and informative keynote speech, or Hullabaloo whooping it up on the Kid Venture’s KidZone Stage. Maybe I would talk about all of the blissed out mamas relaxing in the Breastfeeding Lounge, the smiling babies toted around on their mom or dad’s chest in a carrier, and the big painted bellies we all so love. I would definitely highlight all of the informative demonstrations like Mom and Baby Yoga with Nature’s Whisper, Car Seat Safety with the Family Room or Baby Sign Language with Sign4Baby. The debut of New Mommy Media’s Live Broadcast of the event (you can watch the recorded videos here), the amazing photos captured by our event photographer Catie Stephens with VueFinder Photography, and all of the passionate practitioners and presenters with so much insight and wisdom to share (view a list of our vendors here and a list of all our speakers and demonstrators here). I would definitely be sharing about raising $4000 for the incredible work of GrassrootsHealth and the Protect Our Children NOW! campaign, raising awareness for Vitamin D education. And I would be giving a big Thank You to all who participated and volunteered to make the event happen.
And, of course I would be announcing the lucky winner of the Natural Baby Pros’ Getaway Giveaway… Erin (EEstrella)!! (Contact us to claim your prize; thanks so much to everyone who visited the new NBP.com on fair day! : )
But as I began to receive the feedback from our vendors, the participants and collaborators with this event, I felt it would be a disservice to the true meaning behind the event to just share all the ‘highlights,’ and not give you all a glimpse into the deeper message and meaning for all of us who put this event on.
When your life’s work is your life’s purpose, the personal and spiritual growth path is unavoidable in everything you do. Putting on the fair is an exercise in faith, perseverance, collaboration, and most of all, trust. I have to trust that the good, the bad and the ugly are absolutely on purpose to help me become a better person. I don’t think I could go through this experience each year without that perspective.
As I reflect on our meager beginnings just four short years ago, I am in awe that I didn’t call it quits then. With something like 40 booths and less than 200 attendees in a parking lot on the most blustery day of May, I managed to run the event while my 3 month old was strapped to my back! Each year our efforts have reaped increasing community support both from businesses and participants alike. And for the next two years our attendance doubled year over year, the quality of our speakers and entertainment grew, and for better or worse, the expectations went up right along with all of that.
For the first time this year I had a different experience at the end of the day, and I couldn’t understand why I was taking it all so personally this time around. I couldn’t believe the good stuff and I couldn’t swallow the criticism… why? I think it comes right down to those dreaded expectations. I expected everyone to just love it all, which many did, but I also think many folks expected to have the same experience they had at past fairs.
It took me a couple of weeks to move through every emotion, every explanation, every prayer that came as a result of the fair until my ah-ha moment came. It actually didn’t matter. Not one word made a difference; supportive, misunderstood, or otherwise. It didn’t matter what anyone thought. It only mattered that I did it and that it was done with the best of intentions. And in every moment that I stumbled, that I trusted that it was for the greater good of all. And for that, I am proud.
You see, the fair is so much bigger than me or anyone who is a part of putting it on. The fair is more than just a day of education and fun; it is a reflection of our health and vitality as a community and a new paradigm for how we live. It is a coming together of families and businesses to shift our focus on possibilities, and it is a reflection of a desire for holistic and natural alternatives for raising our families. It is a testament to personal empowerment, support and inspiration. In turn, this fair is not ‘mine’ or ‘yours’ but truly ‘ours.’
This fair is a reflection, like anything else, of how we do anything and how we do everything.
