the face of love

this was the theme of our big event this year. about 70 different artists, community leaders and the women in magdalene all contributed images that represented the face of love to them. we took these images and created a beautiful video which shows the wide breadth of love in this community. in this one night we raise at least half of our funding for the year.

these are stressful days  - the day of the event that is. at least 600 people to be present. large ballroom and 60 tables to decorate. tables laid out. guest lists managed. 75 + volunteers needing direction. programs and pledge cards to be assembled and ready. art to display. guests canceling. tables to rearrange. last minute guests adding. tables to rearrange. program rehearsal. musicians, photographers, rental companies, food vendors, food assembly, supplies arriving (or not). wine picked up. it's 5:00 and food still isn't ready. bartenders accounted for. omg we have no tea. someone run to the store. omg we are out of envelopes. send another to the store. guests lists organized by host. guest lists organized by alphabet. vip guests. more vip guests. smile. thank. smile. kiss. you look beautiful. wonderful to see you. thank you so much for coming. hug. smile.

it was a particularly hard one today. for many reasons. but the kicker had to be 15 minutes before the event begins i realize that somehow when i sent the guest list/excel file at 4:00 to a friend who juggles and sorts and spins it into lists for registration, i neglected to delete one eensy no-longer-necessary column....and this results in about half of the table numbers getting completely mixed up. so the hours/days spent carefully fine-tuning, arranging hosts and guests, then changing, then rearranging - all chaos. the event chairs? in the back of the room. the vip country artist? oh no, not there. the head of the large foundation. over there??? serious panic. serious. did i mention people are starting to come in the room, claiming their space. we do some serious switching, there is only time to do a handful.

the program begins and i'm in the back of the room. i'm emotional and teary. i'm next to jordan. i lean on her. i'm so glad she's there. jordan and i come from different worlds. she's cautious and reserved. i'm well, perky. she sports new braids/cornrows. i wear pearls. she wears her pants baggy and likes mens shirts worn extra large. i'm in a, well, banana republic grey tweed sheath and boots.

jordan was raised in an orphanage in brazil. abused. she says someday she will return and rescue any other children from that place. jordan was on the streets for years. she is street smart and tough. and she was quite aloof with me at first. i'm sure she thought why should i trust this white suburban chick with her pink purse. and really, why should she.

but time and love changes so much. so very much. it must have been obvious that i was upset. what's wrong marlee, she always calls me. oh i really screwed up jordan. i try to explain this thing with the tables and the guests and the hosts in the wrong place. she says something like, is that all they got to complain about? not being at the right table? then she tells me it doesn't matter and reminds me what does matter. i look at the stage and am listening to a couple of the new women introduce themselves. i'm 14 days clean one says. two weeks ago she was maybe sleeping in an alley. two weeks ago she might not have eaten for days. two weeks ago maybe she didn't know that we love her.

i look at my friends standing near me. niki and gwen and jordan and beverly. just a few of the women who ground me and nuture me. they have come so far. i just hope i have the courage to travel the same places spiritually that they travel every day.

my face of love tonite was also carolyn. when she is in town she works at thistle farms. she photographs. she writes. she hangs with the women. she assists me with PR. the women love her. we all miss her. she has been gone almost non-stop the past couple months. one week she's in LA with reba at the tonite show. next week she is in london with the indigo girls.  she was in ny today and not supposed to be back til late. she gets sick. reba sends her home. she flies in, grabs her boyfriend, and there she is, in the back of the room. she hugs me. i'm crying. i'm sure God sent her just for me.

the program is beautiful. the women and artists sing man in the mirror. graduates speak and present themselves with grace and dignity. the face of love video is extraordinary and divine. becca speaks. and like she always does, she brings us all together. we are all called to love the world, she reminds us. everyone in this room. but we are not called to change it but to change ourselves to love more fully. the work continues.

no one seems to care where they are seated. the candles flicker. the paintings the women created frame the room in rich colors. and i'm surrounded by love.

face of love photos by carolyn