I grew up along the sensuous bayous of south-central Louisiana (that means north of I-10 and south of Alexandria)....my grandparents were Creole/Red Bone, and it was a pretty colorful culture! My father's side of the family was from Frisco City, Alabama and were Muskogee Creek. I spent many a summer there playing in the creeks along the Alabama River...in fact, my father went to school with Harper Lee (the author of To Kill a Mockingbird)....and the places and people she wrote about in that book.... were actual places that I would play and meet some of the people she based her characters on.
Me as a young girl along the bayou...
I was taught the spiritual believes of both these cultures...and they have and are still, a HUGE part of my believes and journey.
Summer time in Alabama
I remember the days of living paycheck to paycheck....not knowing where my next meal would come, much less how to pay for it when it did. Then a wonderful man literally "danced" his way into my life....and my life was forever changed! (We have been together for over 25 years!)
My family and I have been so blessed throughout the years...both monetary and health. However, I have never forgotten where I came from and it is with that journey that I tell you this about my myself----
My hubby and I have 3 companies....one being our "major" company, and the other two being my design label, "debi lynn designs" and my store front, "Yaya Chique". Here is what you may not know....I do not take a salary or ANY compensation from either my design line or my store! I first pay all my bills, my staff and taxes...and what is ever left over is given to charity.
People ask me all the time, "How do you keep your prices so low?", and when I reply that I don't take a salary...they offend me by saying---"Oh, so this is a hobby?". NO, this is my passion....my way of taking my gift from God and giving it back. I take only what I need (such as for bills) and then give the rest away. I have been doing this since 1994....is it a lot of money? not really in some standards I guess....but, it is more than what I had to start with.
I am only a person that was taught the path of spirituality from 2 very spiritual cultures, and everything I do or feel is taken in by the universe and that the "Master of our Breath" (God) will provide me with what I need, and I am to give the rest to those that have a need greater than myself.
I do not expect everyone to understand this or may even think I am crazy....and I know it is not for everyone because they don't have another company to rely on for their living. But, since I do----that is why I would feel "greedy" if I took more than what I need.
I am so thankful to all of you that support my designs and my store....because without YOU, I wouldn't be able to do what I love, and most of all----I wouldn't be able to "pay it forward"!
