The Wisdom & Warnings Story
Many years ago a colleague arrived Monday morning with stars in her eyes gushing how she and her boyfriend of three weeks were getting married. As a single parent myself, I was surprised that this young lady would marry someone before getting to know him on a deep level. I felt she was putting herself and her two young daughters into a precarious situation and I wanted her to slow down and really get to know this man before jumping into marriage. I’m sure my advice came across as a bit judgmental, dampening her enthusiasm. She ended up marrying the gentleman… and divorced within a year, leaving a trail of broken hearts and the promise of years of therapy for the future.
I realized there had to be a better way to share concern and my own lessons learned. Grabbing a few napkins and a pen, I began writing what would become the first Wisdom Jar, which included a laundry list of questions couples should ask each other before saying I Do.
The first Engagement Wisdom Jar was given out of love and compassion; it was received with many thanks and appreciation.
As a single parent, I found advice I tried giving my kids didn’t always sink in. Kids (my kids at least) didn’t take my advice to heart. I learned to work covertly with my sister to plant seeds of advice and wisdom since it was cool coming from Aunt Chickie.
The lightbulb went off… as we move through life, wouldn’t it be great to benefit from the Wisdom of those who have traveled the path before us? And to receive that Wisdom in a fun and non-threatening way? How great it would be to learn from the mistakes of others so we could avoid critical pitfalls and receive regular shots of encouragement.
If there is a jar you’d like to see in our library, let
me know! I’d be happy to take on the challenge!
Jen Walsh (at the time!), single mom to Steven, Kendall and the start of the Wisdom & Warnings for Single Parents jar!
Jen And Clive, founders of JAC Your Life LLC
What’s stopping us? NOTHING! And we encourage you to do the same!
While living the single parent life, I always had a hole in my heart for a special someone. Just as Kendall was finishing up college, a friend introduced me to Clive… who was the butter to my bread, the other pea in my pod, my partner in crime and a similar-minded adventure nut!
Clive would often ask me, “What’s stopping you?” That question was the beginning. Since then, we have learned to SCUBA dive, we’ve traveled to the UK where we zip lined through slate mines underground. We went to Africa where we whitewater rafted Class 5 rapids down the Zambezi River, jumped off a cliff, flew an ultra-lite over Victoria Falls and rode horseback safari where he popped the question… and I said Yes!
Our love for adventure and good humor led us to create JAC Your Life LLC. Wisdom and Warnings is the first venture under JAC Your Life as a way to share Wisdom, Advice and Encouragement to stretch out of your comfort zone and embrace life to the fullest.
Submit your own Wisdom
Wisdom and Warnings is built from the Wisdom of real people. What nuggets of Wisdom can you share? What is your favorite quote or bit of encouragement? What lesson do you wish you could share with the younger generation? We’ d love to hear from you!