Although not central to our focus, I wanted to share a bit about the very first donation The Joe Beretta Foundation made as an organization. We had the opportunity to partner with Thistle Farms this week and brought them the full harvest of lavender from my Dad's garden.
As I combed my fingers through the boxes before they were delivered, I couldn't help but remember a conversation I had with my Dad a few months before he fell ill. He planted rows of lavender just last year and although it grew quite a bit that first summer I noticed it never bloomed. This year, on the other hand, it flourished...each and every plant full of beautiful, purple flowers.
I asked my Dad if the lavender just needed time...if it was merely the year that passed that made the difference. He responded that time was a very small factor, while the large factor was winter. The lavender needed to experience the cold of winter in order to develop into a plant that could bloom.
Truth be told, I'm not a fan of winter- not the physical winter that's headed our way in a few months or the metaphorical one our family is experiencing with the loss of my father. While part of me wants to curse the winter- yell and scream until I'm blue in the face- there's a stronger part of me that's simply desperate to tend to what it develops...because there are things that are birthed through winters that simply couldn't exist without them.
That is what The Joe Beretta Foundation is to me. So many of you have generously contributed and I just wanted to take a moment to say thank you. We hope you'll continue to partner with us as we diligently work towards bringing hope to the heart failure community. We love and appreciate you!