Everyday Kindness: An Incredible Relationship Built In 365 Days

An Incredible Relationship Built In 365 Days

Too often, when the word “relationship” is used it takes on a romantic connotation but we all must remember that some of the best relationships are with those that we experience life with such as family, friends and co-workers. I want to share a relationship of mine with you today that encompasses a person that is my partner in business, an adopted member of my family and one of my best friends in this wonderful world. I am also writing this on our exact one year “Frienderversary.” This is the story of Jason Hattrick and Orly Wahba…the Life Vest Inside dynamic duo!

IT HAS TO START SOMEWHERE. Our relationship literally started in a Google search on March 30, 2017. I was researching for a speaking engagement I was doing around the theme of kindness and my personal initiative the “Hattrick Effect” when the Life Vest Inside web address appeared before my eyes. After a little research, I determined the organization was amazing but emailed simply to request a donation of “Catching Kindness Cards”…Yes! Free stuff! So with a single click at 9:52am I got my free cards and a whole lot more that was about to reveal itself.

THE MEETING. It was on the morning of May 9, 2017 where Orly had our first phone conversation. As I sat in front of the school where I work, she was able to fill me on this huge and amazing project she was working on and I was intrigued! This is where the work began as I learned about her Kindness Boomerang Tour and how it was going to pass through my city. Something resonated with me about her personal drive, purpose of her tour and mission of her organization. So much so I replied with, “We just met but I am confident we will be Kindness Conspirators in the near future. Our paths crossed for a purpose.” Who knew how accurate that statement would become.

LIFE VEST INSIDE MY LIFE. I quickly picked up momentum with reckless abandon. I knew that this was right and purposeful and jumped in with both feet. I immediately began working with Orly on bringing her cross-country tour to my city. I also began implementing the Daily Kind into our school’s morning announcements, became an LVI Kindness Ambassador and a Dance for Kindness group leader. Then however, on September 6, 2017 I sent Orly a message inspired to do more, “I want to find a project to do with you. It just feels right. Let's think of something. When your here or from across the country we can impact the world.”

MORE THAN A COLLEAGUE. In every relationship there is always that moment that you default to when you think about your first meeting. Up to this point we had only seen each other via video conferencing and phone calls but now 7 months since our first connection we were going to meet face-to-face. As I wait for JetBlue Flight 1205 from JFK, I noticed that I was physically shaking with anticipation and excitement. It was evident that something amazing and beyond comprehension was about to happen. Then Orly rounded the corner when our eyes locked and jaws dropped because we are actually standing in front of each other. Then following a huge hug a new level of friendship ensued.

Well, by the time the Kindness Boomerang Tour had come through my city Orly and I had solidified our working relationship and were looking ahead. We had surprised her with a motorcade to my school, a surprise Dance for Kindness, we visited schools, a children’s hospital, spent time with those suffering with homelessness all the way down to free hugs at the mall. Then Orly raised our relationship to yet another level when she asked me to help her do a school presentation and infuse me into the program. I was humbled, flattered and so grateful. In that moment a photo was taken and I hold dear to me as it shows me presenting to room full of students with Orly in the front row being my number one fan and me wearing my LVI t-shirt proudly. It was truly a sign of things to come.

Like most people we all have issues with trust or commitment due to a myriad of instances throughout our lives. Well were not immune to these either but through our work we had built a foundation and respect and were in a good place to explore even further, what we could do as a team for Life Vest Inside.

MOVING INTO LVI LIKE A COP ON A HIGH SPEED CHASE. The reality stands that I was fully committed to Life Vest Inside long before Orly began her tour but the tour definitely taught me that I had so much more to give and now I had a friend who helped me to reveal it. Since the tour I have taken many different roles in the organization along with the ones listed above including:

• Dance for Kindness Group Leader
• Kindness Ambassador
• Co-writer of the Daily Kind
• Co-writer of the Kindness Flash
• Life Vest Inside Spokesperson
• Inspiring Kindness Representative (Law Enforcement Initiative)
• Kindness Kickoff – Social Media Live Show Assistant
• Kindness Flash with Jason & Orly – Social Media Live Show Co-Host
• Now I am beyond honored to be Life Vest Inside’s Chief Operations Officer (COO) working side-by-side with Orly to extend the reach of LVI’s mission of empowering the world to live a life of kindness.

ISRAEL & OUR FRIENDERVERSARY. When you get comfortable and then find yourself in a major change, it has the potential to throw you off your game. Thankfully, the relationship of Orly and Jason as progressed in perfect harmony from the beginning. As colleagues, we learned about each other from work habits, strengths weaknesses and all the way to meeting each other’s families. Due to this, a friendship was created naturally on mutual respect and common interests and goals. Then over time we have built such a strong relationship you would have thought we had known each other our entire lives by the way we mess with each other like mischievous siblings. However, this incredible working relationship coupled with a magnificent friendship was built by design preparing us for our next big step.

On March 26, 2017 Orly made a huge dream of hers become a reality. Since she was a child she always had a heart for Israel. On this day she actually made her dream a reality and moved there. Aside from the understandably excruciating transition of her family, I now had to say goodbye to someone that had become so close to me. In all honesty, the transition does get easier with each passing day but difficult regardless.

We continue our work every day to honor all those that believe in the work of Life Vest Inside and support us so faithfully. Our relationship as friend I feel may even getting stronger as you learn pretty quickly who you can lean on when no one is there. To know that you have someone to confide in, to strengthen you when down and to celebrate with when up. As I stated at the beginning of this that I have known Orly for exactly one year and today, we celebrate our “Frienderversary.” This is the story of Jason Hattrick and Orly Wahba…may the next chapter be greater than the first!

- Edited by Jason Hattrick

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