Kristen Friend
So many times, we have been working around Acopio and witnessed wonder cross the face of passerby outside our windows. This is smile-inducing for all of us, because it is a moment where we are allowed a glimpse into the inspiration that Acopio can be, the one we hope it is. This blog post is a thank you for these moments, from us to Kristen, the woman behind our windows.
Born a New Hampshirite, Kristen left New England for Arizona with her family at 16. However, shortly after Kristen married her husband Houston, they began to think more about what it was they wanted out of this sweet little thing called life. The more they pondered, the clearer it became that a certain type of lifestyle called: the “simple life”. This is when they made a choice rooted in a love for life, nature, and those around them. They decided to move.
That was March of 2015, and since then Kristen has become a staple of Apotheca and Acopio’s community. “Friend”, as we like to call her, has served as an inspiration to us all. As we have watched her continue to shine her light into our world, we have also asked for her help with bringing light into the lives of the people we see every day, by coordinating our window displays.
Kristen’s hard work has often brought us into contact and conversation with passersby, and made our community a more wholesome one. We know we would not be where we are without those around us, and so we have oodles of gratitude for Kristen for being such a builder and influencer of our gathering of people.
This "thank you" comes at a time when things are shifting; Kristen and Houston are making another move in search of the life they desire for themselves, and while we are happy for them, proud of them, and thankful for these years, we also know in our hearts that Acopio will miss their presence. Perhaps most importantly, we wish Kristen and Houston all the best in their journey and hope they continue to have the same profound effect as they have had on Acopio on other communities they come across.
We will be here, fondly recalling memories, following their progress on The Friends, and cheering them on!
Pictures of Kristen, light of a human, teacher, plant-lover, and friend.
Photo Credit: Deb Schillbach