Seven Minutes For a Story

Dear Friends:

Today, we bring you the first delivery of a two-part installment detailing the origin story of Lifetherapy. You haven’t read this in the press (and you won't even find it in our brand book) because we wanted to bring our Seven Minutes readers something exclusive – something deeper – that is deserving of this unprecedented time. We hope this imparts inspiration and meaning for you, and please be sure to let us know if it does.

The Origins of Lifetherapy
Part 1 of 2

As we all know, you never know what is right around the corner in life. Such is the case with the COVID pandemic underway, and such was the case almost 20 years ago, when Lifetherapy was conceived. 

Lifetherapy’s story – of being created by Lynette Lovelace as a way to care for one’s mind, body and mood – is well documented. But less is known about the personal circumstances Lynette was going through then, in September 2001, though it is a poignant time etched in people’s minds...

Back then, what started out as an ordinary childhood fever for Lynette’s son ended up with her little boy fighting for his life. Weeks of emergency room visits and random testing ultimately did not result in recovery.  Something didn’t add up, her boy was getting weaker and weaker. Upon a CT scan, a mass on his liver was revealed. Lynette knew that her world was about to change. 

Those are the moments that redefine perception. Lynette recalls never forgetting the pediatrician walking into the hospital room and taking her and her husband out of their ‘not us, why him?, and how can this be real?’ mode. More was demanded of Lynette as a wife and mother at that time. There was NO OPTION but to use the gifts of strength and courage, step by step.

***

As her son lay in that hospital room, waiting to go for a biopsy, Lynette remembers the marked bitter silence pierced only by the sound of machines beeping.  Her family watched a little TV in the corner of the room, catching a glimpse of a plane flying into the World Trade Center. It really happened just like that.  As the world was in disarray, Lynette was behind the walls of a Chicago hospital room with her child fighting for his life. Their perfect view of the Sears Tower offered no room for comfort, but rather added fear. To this day, Lynette still has no comprehension what the rest of the world processing on 9/11 because for her it was about the little boy in the bed.

Indeed though, life felt fragile for all at that time. And it eerily does today, too. 

But back then, weeks passed, and Lynette’s son moved through his experiences successfully, blessed with a full recovery and a new outlook on life.  Looking back on these trials, Lynette recognized that oddly, some of the best moments of her life happened within the four walls of that hospital room.  She was renewed with a sense of building on the foundation of her “family unit”. 

In time, her son made a full recovery and slowly began running around like every other little boy. He remains in good health to this day.

***

But those moment-by-moment experiences left a lasting impression on Lynette. And we are all better off because of it. Lynette knew then was she has reaffirmed now: How we deal with things is our choice. We choose our mood. She started to build her life therapy and she had an idea…

###

Seven Minutes in the Morning will pick up next week with the exact moment Lifetherapy came to be. In the meantime, you can hear Lynette on the Responding to Life podcast with Josephine Atluri through the link here. 

XO,

Lifetherapy