Annie Lou

In the Spring of 2016, Annie Lou Berman passed away.

3 years later, I still think of her all the time.

I think I see her in passing at Surfside, a local taco spot or in the middle of a hard day, I’ll go to type an email to someone with an A name, and her email will pop in my inbox.

I broke my foot in the Spring of 2016 and attended her funeral on crutches, only to attend another lil omm family funeral just a few days later of sweet girl, Eliana Ortiz.

Whenever I think about this season, it brings me such a range of emotions b/c while so many painful things were going on, I had also just finished the manuscript of my book, which was about to be published and just finished teaching a retreat to a house full of incredible women, who I fell in love with.

This way that life is, giving us something so sweet… like a new friendship and then taking people we love and care for away.. I know is part of the experience of being human and as someone who notices for a living, I have to say, it’s not always easy.

Annie Lou was an original lil omm mama, coming to the Gtown lululemon, where our prenatal classes started and we chatted and connected instantly. She brought lots of other incredible women to my class, who I loved meeting as well and as lil omm studio grew to different locations, she would follow along, usually with a new pregnancy, a new idea or class for the studio ( boys ages 4–5 hip hop!), and always laughter. While our interactions were not daily, it was always fun to bump into her at our shared doctor’s office or at a coffee shop. She was one of those people you love to be around.

At her funeral, this letter was shared.

I have shared it before, and will probably share it EVERY Spring with you all, b/c well, I think it’s a great reminder.

In honor of our life, our week ahead, season ahead- let us not take for granted this moment, this morning, this day.

So many are lost in their phones, their work, their stress, their doing, their striving. I love ALB’s message of LOVE below.

The stress you feel in your life, IS part of life. It’s part of the dance, so why not accept it, enjoy it or release it?

I know that ALB’s message continues to remind me to stay on my path, in my lane, no matter how different it may seem from those around me.

And I hope it inspires you to do the same.

XO,

Pleasance