Meet Melissa! - Westport Moms

How old are your kids and how long have you lived in Westport? My kids are now 27, 26, 18, 16, 14, and 13 and I have lived in Westport since I moved here my junior year of high school when I was 16.

How did you end up where you are now in terms of your job, or whatever passion project it is you might be doing? Doug, my now husband, and I decided at the ripe young ages of 22 and 24 to leave the “corporate treadmill” and do something that made our hearts sing and made us want to get out of bed each morning. We ended up pooling our money together when we were still dating and starting a toy company in 1988 (Sidenote from Westportmoms….This little toy company is called Melissa & Doug)

As for LifeLines… After a lifetime of hiding who I truly was from the world and adopting a façade, finally the cry of my own soul to be seen grew so loud that I could not deny it any longer. Through a handle of random dots connecting, I discovered that I had suffered a lifetime with an affliction called existential depression, and ended up baring my soul on a podcast, finding that I wasn’t alone, and wanting to spend the rest of my life helping others feel not alone and turn their own darkness into light. LifeLines starts with a book and ends with an incredibly vibrant ecosystem to support those who have also felt alone, rejected, isolated, and stigmatized.

What was your best memory from 2020, a strange year we know… My best memory was having all my children home for 6 months, and some of the incredibly hysterical family dinners we had, where everyone was rolling on the floor in tears of laughter.

What are you most looking forward to in 2021? I’m really looking forward to seeing all the hard work we’ve put into LifeLines come to fruition, and to developing this vibrant community of people who aren’t afraid to show who they truly are to each other.

What is the best show you have recently (binge) watched? AND/OR what is the last book you read? I’ve recently watched Season 3 of The Sinner, which was very dark and deep. The last book I read that really resonated is Touched with Fire by Kay Redfield Jamison, which talks about some of the world’s most prolific creators who were afflicted with mental health issues.

What is one food you could not live without? Can I say tea? 🙂 Loose leaf tea!

What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you? I’m terrified at a cocktail party, but can speak in front of a thousand people and not feel nervous at all.

If you weren’t doing what you are today, what do you think your career path might have been?  I dreamed of either being an NBA basketball player or an R&B singer.

If you had 24 hours to do whatever you wanted to do, what would it be? It would be with my 6 kids on a crystal clear, blue sky, summer day, high of 83 degrees, on a very calm ocean on a boat, with my favorite music playing and everybody dancing.

What was your most memorable family vacation and why?  Italy last summer, because all my kids were at an age where they could truly appreciate it, the people were the warmest ever, the activities we did were so culturally rich, the FOOD most of all was the most incredible, and the beauty of the landscape was soul-soothing.

Are you a morning person, or a night owl? How does sleep fit into your life right now? I’m one of those people that sleeps because I have to, and I wish I didn’t have to because I have too much I want to do, and because the time that I love to work most is deep into the wee hours of the morning, between 11:30pm and 2am. But, I do sleep because it is part of self-care, and I sleep now from about 1am – 7:30am.

QUICK THIS OR THAT:

Cake or Pie? Pie
At a movie: Candy or Popcorn? Popcorn
Pancakes or Waffles? Waffles
Iced Coffee or Hot Coffee? Tea 🙂
Beach or Mountains? Oh gosh, I love both!
Puzzle or Board Game?  Board game
Chocolate or vanilla? Vanilla
Reading or writing? Writing
Ketchup or mustard? Mustard
Watch or play sports? Watch
Winter or summer?  Summer
Comedy or Drama? Drama

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