October 2021

Dear Friends,

Based on my birth certificate and a bunch of other identifying documents like my passport and driver's license I am about to be 45-years-old this week.

That does not seem possible, but I guess it is. I am a middle aged woman. I am damn grateful for that. I am grateful my parents are still here and so much of my family. I am grateful for my husband and friends. And, this year, I am especially grateful that I am a mother.

I remember many birthdays leading up to this one trying to “reframe” my circumstances and be grateful when I mostly felt sad. Age and infertility are a cocktail of despair. While I had so much to be grateful for, the yearning in my heart to mother was difficult to soothe with spiritual lessons about letting go and surrendering to what is. Eventually, time, like a river, slowly eroded the belief system I was holding on to that I needed this “thing” (or two or three things) to be happy and content.

I’ve shared before about the process of letting go of my agenda and my timeline and when I did, I got to communicate directly with The Universe/God/Spirit (I see these as all the same things). From a place of freedom from needing things to be a certain way I could ask God sincerely (because The Universe/God/Spirit only speaks in the language of sincerity I think) “What would you have me do?” With this life? With my yearning? With my relationship, etc. I had to trust that God knew I wanted children (I mean, how could he/she miss those monthly meltdowns??) God also knew that I had a deep desire to transform myself in order to help transform the consciousness of the planet. When I asked sincerely, and I listened, I became aware of more possibilities for mothering and for transforming myself and others than existed when my mind was fixed on wanting a certain outcome. This is how I started Lead with Love, sponsored and visited needy children, became a CASA Volunteer, etc.

Five years ago we launched our first “Lead with Love” Summit at The Aspen Institute Doerr Hosier Center. That big stark building overlooking the Roaring Fork River was transformed into a sacred container of transformation for hundreds of people from all over the world. That event started as my 40th birthday party intended to share many of my favorite teachers and teachings with family and friends; it turned into more than that. If you attended Lead with Love over the past five years, my guess is that you exited differently than you entered. You felt more whole, more alive, more connected, more loved. I know I did. I created Lead with Love and Aspen City of Wellbeing because I was directed to do it. I was inspired and doing the work helped me heal and to channel my creative energy and my mother energy into something wonderfully fulfilling and fun.

I knew there was something special to gather in such a way with a deep intention to transform from fear to love. Although we do not have any large gatherings through Lead with Love this year, I know I still need to do this transformative work within myself. We all do. As the leaves fall from the trees and the air gets colder, memories on my phone pop up showing Deepak Chopra, Goldie Hawn, Marianne Williamson, Seane Corn, Ron and Mary Hulnick and so many other cherished teachers who have touched our lives through Lead with Love. The message always, like the true teachings of “God” in all her forms, is LOVE. We are living in a world where we must turn toward loving. That means we MUST stop watching TV and scrolling listening to people tell us we are on two separate teams battling against each other. We are simply buying into an illusion. A very dangerous illusion of separation.

When I ask inwardly, “What’s ours to do?” as an organization, I hear this: “We exist to shift culture from fear to love.” This is the message I got from Spirit when I pondered the “Why” of this organization six or seven years ago. To me, there is still so much to do personally and collectively to shift from fear to love and I am so excited my “baby” Lead with Love is being held by another mother. Anne is amazing. We are in good hands. I am grateful for that.

I always feel the ripples of our past gatherings this time of year and I love looking back. These past gatherings and now these moments with my children and my family and friends are my dreams that I am turning into memories. I’d rather have memories than dreams, though both are important. Dreams are the drivers and the accelerator pushing us forward toward something that ignites our hearts, memories are the metaphorical medals we get for our courage and our willingness to try doing what we dreamed of doing. On my birthday, especially, I am holding the memories close to my heart, feeling the warmth of time well spent and I’m dreaming the dreams of a mother for her children. May they live in a world of love, not fear.

Love, Gina

PS. Click the links!