“Faith includes noticing the mess, the emptiness, and discomfort, and letting it be there until some light returns.” ~Anne Lamott
Anne Lamott is one of my very favorite authors. I like her sass, crankiness, and craziness as much as I adore her poetry and poignancy. Her thoughts on faith are particularly inspiring. I’m not a religious person. I don’t go to any kind of house of worship (except to see art and architecture), and I don’t consider myself to be of any denomination. I do believe in the goodness of people and the wisdom of the universe. I do believe we are all connected and the very best we can do on this plane is to take care of each other.
Sometimes life leaves us shaking our heads. It leaves us confused and bewildered. Why do bad things happen to good people? Why do people who behave badly often seem to skate by unscathed? Why is there violence, cruelty, loss, narcissism, and on occasion, massive disappointment? I don’t know any of those answers, though I do know this: the light returns. Always, always, always. The scene that the light illuminates is undoubtedly different after any kind of major emotional event, and it will be seen.
I often hate the mess of life. It can leave us gutted and uncomfortable. In those moments, I sit. I breathe. I listen to the beat of my heart. I remind myself that all over the world every living being is experiencing that same rhythm of life, whether they know it or not. If we can tune our senses to that oneness, then I find that we can bounce back from anything. Braver, wiser, and with more compassion than ever. We become the light.
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Published by Christa Avampato
The short of it:
Writer. Health, education, and art advocate. Theater and film producer. Visual artist. Product geek. Proud alumnae of the University of Pennsylvania (BA) and the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia (MBA). Inspired by ancient wisdom & modern tech. Proliferator of goodness. Opener of doors. Friend to animals. Fan of creative work in all its wondrous forms. I use my business skills to create passion projects that build a better world. I’ve been called the happiest New Yorker, and I try hard to live up to that title every day.
The long of it:
My career has stretched across Capitol Hill, Broadway theatre, education, nonprofit fundraising, health and wellness, and Fortune 500 companies in retail, media, entertainment, technology, and financial services. I’ve been a product developer and product manager, theater manager, strategic consultant, marketer, voice over artist, , teacher, and fundraiser. I use my business and storytelling to support and sustain passion projects that build a better world. In every experience, I’ve used my sense of and respect for elegant design to develop meaningful products, services, programs, and events.
While building a business career, I also built a strong portfolio as a journalist, novelist, freelance writer, interviewer, presenter, and public speaker. My writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The Huffington Post, PBS.org, Boston.com, Royal Media Partners publications, and The Motley Fool on a wide range of topics including business, technology, science, health, education, culture, and lifestyle. I have also been an invited speaker at SXSW, Teach for America, Avon headquarters, Games for Change, NYU, Columbia University, Hunter College, and the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America. The first book in my young adult book series, Emerson Page and Where the Light Enters, was acquired by a publisher and launched in November 2017. I’m currently working on the second book in the series.
A recovering multi-tasker, I’m equally at home in front of my Mac, on my yoga mat, walking my rescue dog, Phineas, traveling with a purpose, or practicing the high-art of people watching. I also cut up small bits of paper and put them back together as a collage artist.
My company:
I’m bringing together all of my business and creative career paths as the Founder of Double or Nothing Media:
• I craft products, programs, and projects that make a difference;
• I build the business plans that make what I craft financially sustainable;
• I tell the stories that matter about the people, places, and products that inspire me.
Follow my adventures on Twitter at https://twitter.com/christanyc and Instagram at https://instagram.com/christarosenyc.
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Christa Avampato 