I am a lover of libraries, one of my favorite KOCH shoots was at the Detroit Public Library. I asked the city if we could shoot in their beautiful building (never dreaming they would say yes), and not only did they say yes, but they gave us access to the entire library after hours. The lesson here is always ask; one thing I know for sure is if you don’t ask, you definitely will not receive. In this case, the asking paid off, and I loved every minute of the experience. I think it’s the realness of libraries that gets me excited. Standing in them lights me up. To me, libraries are the kind of place that has a strange magnificence that brings good tears to your eyes, like when you hear a certain song at the perfect time in the perfect place. Or when you meet a person who you know in an instant that you understand and are connected to, or when you laugh so hard that the world falls away. All of these things which light up the soul come from a place that is stripped of falsity or pretentiousness and filled with possibility and truth. In a way, libraries remind me of you, the KOCH community. A community that is also filled with possibility and truth. A community that feels like home to me the way a library does.  

When I am in a library, it feels like words and stories are whispering into my soul, and if I am quiet and still enough, I might understand the meaning of life in an even more profound way. I love the idea that in all those books are characters who let us into their worlds. People who laugh, disagree, suffer, love, hope, cry, and most of all, who allow us to understand how connected we all are by our own vulnerability, our own stories of pain, joy, fear, and imagination. It reminds us that we are all more alike than we are different. Most of all, it feels anchored in something valuable. The world we live in day to day is filled with technology, and with this comes the ability to curate our lives into something that might not resemble what is really happening or distract ourselves from anything but what is happening. Either way, things become anchored in something that feels a bit like quicksand.

For this reason, we must find our places and people that feel like home, that ground us and make us feel like beams of light are reflecting through our souls. You will know it when you are in it; you forget everything around you, and when you walk away, you feel good. In order to experience it, you have to be willing to put away the fear or desire to be something you are not. You have to stop curating your life into something you think will impress someone else or society tells you makes you happy. You have to be willing to create your own blueprint with the uniqueness that you came into this world possessing and then build upon each day God has given you. That is what being truly alive is, and when you embrace it or are in the presence of this realness, it is revitalizing and exciting. 

The words in those books in libraries have the power to transport us, teach us, and most of all to allow us to understand others. It’s not just words in books but the words we use every day to ourselves and to others that make a difference in our future. Our words have the power to build up or tear down. So next time you pass a library, take a minute to enjoy the possibilities and dreams it can breathe into you and use it as a reminder that words have the magical power to make a profound difference in your life and the life of others. 

Our new Chakra Avery Cardigan released at our Friday Happy Hour! Did you know we have a KOCH Happy Hour every from 3-5 at the KOCH House? Join us anytime if you want to hang out in our creative space and get to see the team! We have lots of fun people stop by, and great things happen!

We had a blast dropping the Elle Woods Collection. If we are sold out of your size in the Elle Woods Pink Erica Skirt, don’t worry because we have more pink coming in our upcoming collection.  

We had to cancel our Mobile pop-up and are rescheduling. We will be there before you know it. Stay tuned for a date. Our hearts and love go out to everyone that was affected by Hurricane Ida. 

Our next pop-up after Mobile will be in Fayetteville, Arkansas. WPS!!

We are also, calling all University of Mississippi girls! We will be doing a Joy Drop in  Oxford, MS this Friday and can’t wait to connect with you! We will be at the Walk of Champions at 1 PM!

Don’t forget to join us tomorrow on Tik Tok Tuesday at 4 PM CST live from California!

Podcast of the Week: The Backlot by Nancy Myers