08/19/2026
Good morning everyone. I went to bed last night struggling about if I should make this post or not. I have beaten myself up about it, and decided the only way for me to move past it is to say what I feel I need to say.
I decided to open The Willow Shed a little over a year ago. I was told it would be hard opening a business in a small town that I was not born and raised in, but I was up for the challenge. To be honest, it truly has been harder than I thought it would ever be. I would like to share a little about me and my family. Paul, my husband, was born and raised here hence how we ended up here. We thought a small town would be a great place to raise our 2 kids (8 and 11 at the time). During the craziness of 2020 we decided to move here from the city of Atlanta, Georgia. I had owned childcare centers and children's consignment stores for many years. I loved living there, especially loved working with kids but we left many friends and years of what I knew and where I was comfortable . Childcare was always my passion! . So here we are and 5 years later, Minden is our forever home.
With that being said, I opened this store to be a part of the community but not just to be another store. This store was meant to be a place for people to get together, craft, find new talents and enjoy one another. We have had many changes and challenges throughout our first year, but I am taking every situation that has arose as a learning experience. No one is perfect, right? However, my ❤️ is torn because there are people that have relentlessly bullied, harassed and verbally attacked me and my character and I am at my breaking point. I could handle most everything until it moved to my family, my home and children. I went to a funeral on Saturday for a child who decided that life was just too hard or things were too difficult to get past. It put everything into perspective for me when another child spoke (actually could barely speak because she was so upset) about her friend not telling someone how she felt and maybe someone could have done something to help and she would still be here. It resignated hard, not because I think my situation can not be overcome because I am determined it can, but no one knows what people are going through unless you walk in their shoes. Take the time to be kind to someone else, smile at someone and don't use the phones and social media to spread hate. I am the kind of person that would truly be there for anyone. I would give anything I have to make sure someone else didn't go without. I believe in loving our neighbors and I do see the good in everyone and that will not change. My biggest fault in life I have been told is wearing my ❤️ on my sleeve. Actually, I don't think it is a bad thing, but it can create problems as I have found. I am not getting on here to call people out. I am just asking for those, that for whatever reason, wish ill on myself, family and/or the business to just stop. I have many ideas, and many new things that will be coming to The Willow Shed, I will not give up on what I believe this little spot in Minden can become.
I will not let ANYONE break my spirit. I will leave it with this quote of the day!....
"One's dignity may be assaulted, vandalized, and cruelly mocked, but it can never be taken away unless it is surrendered."
Minden is my home.
Lisa Michelle Abernathy-Taylor
