Since 1997, May Day has had particular significance for me. On May 1st 1997, my father Joseph Lawrence MacMartin died from complications of Alzheimer’s Disease. He had been sick for a long time, so his death felt like mercy. Sad, yes, but a relief to have him freed from the prison of his body.
He was a creative guy, my dad. This picture here captures him perfectly: jeans and sneakers, perched on a log, concentrating on getting his sketch just right. I learned how to lead a creative life from Dad. Although he worked at a sales job he did not love, he made up for that with the many hobbies he enjoyed, including sketching, watercolor painting, and woodworking.
In my early 20s, I worked in a bookstore that was very close to my father’s office. He would drop by occasionally, in his trench coat and fedora hat, which he would doff to me and my coworkers. He would always ask “how is business?”. It was fun to chat as two business people, not just father and daughter. As I type this, I just realized that I do that too–not the hat part but the inquiry, when greeting fellow small business owners Linden Hills and beyond.
Although my dad was long gone when I opened Heartfelt, I often feel his blood in my veins. I inherited his extroversion, his willingness to speak up, and his artistic sensibility. I have a feeling he would love the shop–I wish he could stop by to sketch and paint!