04/01/2019
On this day in 2011....we were moving things in....and in 2019 we are moving out~As I stood in the store and looked around I saw so many faces and smiles and heard the laughter and remembered both good times....and a few of the bad times....but as we all have learned it is the bad times that make the good times so truly AMAZING! Wow....what a journey....Thank You seems so inadequate ....but I want to thank each and every one of you....Employees...customers...vendors....repair people...store neighbors~ I learned so much about life and about ME in the past 8 years~I've seen some people at their best and some at their worst...I've found myself in both of those places as well...but this little fruit stand has been such a blessing. I opened this as a single mom of 3 living in Ohio...wanting so badly to get HOME to my family and friends. I can remember counting the days to get here....counting the days til we opened our doors. The first day we walked through that door I remember leaning against the wall and thanking God for what He was about to do to me and through me in this little place. I wasn't quite sure what HE had in mind and I found myself taking a leap of FAITH and holding on for the ride. And at the end of these 8 years I am reflecting on the HUGE blessings that have come to me. I started a single Mom of 3 from Ohio....I walked out a married Mom of 5 and grandmother of 2 and living in Bells, TN where I grew up! I can honestly say I am not leaving a seasoned "business" person....not sure that was ever ME ~ and I can honestly say looking back that wasn't what God was teaching me. I never LOVED that side of all of this.....I loved the PEOPLE. I loved the chance to be part of something truly amazing. You see it was NEVER about the fruit. It was about the person who walked in that door wanting to do something special for someone. I loved more than anything seeing the thoughts swirl in someone's head when I asked 'and what would you like the card to say?' I spent my last day at the store as the delivery person~ I've said it from the beginning if you were ever having a bad day that was the way to turn it around. There is something about the faces on the people when you see them realize that someone truly cares about them....cares enough to stop what they are doing and spend a minute and a little money to get someone to come to their door and say you know what....we love you we care about you we know you are here....isn't that what we all want in life...to feel like we are seen....known....loved....cared about~ Well the final tally was 41,715 of you came through that door....called our phone or messaged us online to say I need you to help me tell someone how special I think they are! They have made such an impression on me and my life that I want to do something to make sure they know that!~ I am humbled and beyond honored to have been the one that you chose to help you do just that. But what you did not realize is that you were doing amazing things in MY heart every single day! So I honestly sit here tonight not sure how to thank you for who you have been for ME. How do you say thank you to people that had no idea what God was doing through them. You have healed my heart on more occasions than you can imagine. Yes me the one that talks all the time and has words to say about everything truly is at a loss for words. As I drove into work on my very last day tears filled my eyes. They weren't tears of sadness but overwhelming love and appreciation for all of you! This little fruit stand never made much more than enough to pay the people working there....but it made me rich beyond measure with the amazing examples of the truly beautiful hearts of each of you! When it's all said and done I know God never gave this to me to make me money....HE gave this to me to know my riches that walked in that door every single day....that called that phone....that made that late night online purchase....THEY were the WEALTH....I will hold each of you close to my heart ALWAYS...You have made me RICH beyond measure.....I am not sure where HE will lead me next but if it is half the blessing that you all have been I cannot wait to see what it will be! Much love and thanks to each and every one of you....Edible Arrangements Jackson closed it's doors for the last time March 30th, 2019. Thanks for the memories....for your business....your kindness....and for sharing a little piece of you with me.
Jolanda Raines Hargett
