The same child that brought me a mushroom, also brought me some juices.

Actually, her mom did.

I used to work with this woman’s mother, and she always said she wanted me to have her granddaughter in my class. She passed away, and her presence was missed every day when I would bring my kindergarten to get their lunch.

A year or two went by from the last time I had seen this woman and lo and behold, the granddaughter she always said she wished I  would have ended up on my roster.

I  am thankful that this little girl had a mom who not only sent me mushrooms, but also brought me a whole cooler full of juices.

To get you to fully understand how this was a huge step for me…

Ketchup was the only vegetable I ate.

True story.

I took a deep breath and tried a juice. It had the name “Black Dragon”, and I imagined the dragon entering my body and sending the cancer cells scattering. It was actually pretty good, and I thought to myself, ” I can do this!”

I had been researching and saw that juicing is something that many people do, and I  read a lot of success stories. It’s pretty impossible to eat the amount of vegetables and fruits needed to flood your system, and juicing is a quick and easy way to get it all in there. It was worth a try.

Little did I know how much those juices would bring to my life.

I went to “The Giving Room”, and walked in feeling intimidated. Like I was a fraud. Who was I to go into this healthy place? I didn’t even know the difference between Kale and Spinach.

I  took a deep breath, walked in, and  met Andie, who was a bubbly, kind, and as knowledgable a person one would dream of meeting when walking into a juicing place. I    felt so good after going, I went back again.

And again.

And again.

I finally met Paula, who is one of the owners.

If you want to meet someone who is a true angel, compassionate beyond measure, and a light to just be around…go see Paula.

She has become more than my juice guru. She has become one of my life teachers.

Some have Oprah.

I have Paula.

The Giving Room also has yoga classes. The first one I attended had someone playing cello in the corner, everyone breathing in unison, it ended with poetry and the healing energy in the air was palatable.

Sometimes I go to the Giving Room just to feel the energy.

The women and men who work there are full of information, kindness, and are people you want to be around. Andrea, Laura, Jesslin, Kyle, Sam, Emily…they all make juices that fill your body with goodness and healing.

As a teacher, I’ve read the book, The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein, more times than I    can count. Its a story of love, and giving to others.

I’ve always love the spirit of the giving tree.

Now I love the spirit n the Giving Room even more.

If you are starting this journey, or just want to get healthy, find your “Giving Room”. If you don’t have one near you, get yourself a juicer and make your kitchen your very own Giving Room.

A place where you can fill your body with all the organic goodness that God gave us on this big, beautiful Earth.

May we all be as giving as Paula and the staff.

In Jesus’s name, amen.

xoxox

Keri

PS. This is the poem, The Journey, by Mary Oliver, that Paula read at my very first yoga class. She read this poem at the end of class, with a cello playing softly in the corner, everyone breathing in unison, and me crying softly for the journey I was about to take. It was perfect and beautiful.