From our Brand Ambassador, Jordan Stroman
On Friday, July 26th, our dear friend and brand ambassador Jordan Stroman passed away after fighting a rare form of Muscular Dystrophy.
Loss is never easy. Because it’s a longing for what will no longer exist as we know it.
Jordan brought endless inspiration and strength to our community, and well beyond it, through her transparent narratives about both love and challenge. And her inherent and spot-on take on fashion and how it can make you feel. Those transmissions will be greatly missed.
What is stronger than our sadness, however, is the fullness in our hearts for having been personally graced with her kindness, intelligence, and beauty. She was a most gentle yet fierce being, and we are better people for it.
We love you, Jordan.
In my 30 years on this earth, I’ve known seasons of the deepest pain, as well as those profoundly beautiful. In the midst of loss, I’ve asked the big questions and struggled to understand why my story had to be so challenging. And throughout it all, I’ve also realized the deepest gratitude for this beautiful life I get to live. Both the valleys and mountaintops have had an equally profound effect in shaping the way I view life, myself, and the world around me.
When I was six years old, my parents noticed I started running differently at my soccer games. After years of visits to specialists in several states, I was diagnosed with a rare form of Muscular Dystrophy. My disease is progressive, so since then I’ve experienced countless seasons of change in my abilities. When I was eight, I had to get creative when brushing my hair because my arm could no longer support the weight of my brush. When I was 12, I had to figure out this new life in a wheelchair because my legs weren’t able to walk without getting tangled together. When I was 19, I had to allow a machine to help me breathe because my lungs could no longer do the job themselves. And in the past decade, I lost the strength to eat by mouth and began navigating the hardest battle of all: chronic nerve pain.
Yet in spite of the progressive changes and loss that I’ve faced, I've learned so much. My disability has instilled within me unbelievable strength and resilience, and provided for me a perspective that I wouldn’t change for anything.
Loss is never easy. Because it’s a longing for what will no longer exist as we know it.
Jordan brought endless inspiration and strength to our community, and well beyond it, through her transparent narratives about both love and challenge. And her inherent and spot-on take on fashion and how it can make you feel. Those transmissions will be greatly missed.
What is stronger than our sadness, however, is the fullness in our hearts for having been personally graced with her kindness, intelligence, and beauty. She was a most gentle yet fierce being, and we are better people for it.
We love you, Jordan.
In my 30 years on this earth, I’ve known seasons of the deepest pain, as well as those profoundly beautiful. In the midst of loss, I’ve asked the big questions and struggled to understand why my story had to be so challenging. And throughout it all, I’ve also realized the deepest gratitude for this beautiful life I get to live. Both the valleys and mountaintops have had an equally profound effect in shaping the way I view life, myself, and the world around me.
When I was six years old, my parents noticed I started running differently at my soccer games. After years of visits to specialists in several states, I was diagnosed with a rare form of Muscular Dystrophy. My disease is progressive, so since then I’ve experienced countless seasons of change in my abilities. When I was eight, I had to get creative when brushing my hair because my arm could no longer support the weight of my brush. When I was 12, I had to figure out this new life in a wheelchair because my legs weren’t able to walk without getting tangled together. When I was 19, I had to allow a machine to help me breathe because my lungs could no longer do the job themselves. And in the past decade, I lost the strength to eat by mouth and began navigating the hardest battle of all: chronic nerve pain.
Yet in spite of the progressive changes and loss that I’ve faced, I've learned so much. My disability has instilled within me unbelievable strength and resilience, and provided for me a perspective that I wouldn’t change for anything.
"
There have definitely been seasons where it felt like hope was so far off, and things might never change. But the truth that always seems to find me when I lose my footing is this: the messy chaos is fashioning each of our hearts into little wells capable of storing up thankfulness."
A real thankfulness that changes perspective and invites hope to sit with us. What was once ordinary and routine becomes significant. Conversations become opportunities for connection and encouragement. An evening stroll becomes a sacred realization that this life is a beautiful gift. The pain we experience brings fullness to the joy. The disappointments divert our gaze to a hope much bigger than ourselves. The temptation to fear the unknown provides an opportunity to trust that light will find us right where we are and fill us with the courage to keep fighting.
I don’t have it all figured out, and some days my heart is weary, feeling like I’ve been waging an uphill battle for 30 years. But most days, my perspective is shifted in a different direction and I’m able to see that, even here, even when it hurts and things feel out of my control, my life is so full of purpose and joy surrounds me. Even here, in the process and the growth and the inevitable heartache, I feel the fire burning inside me – that desire to chase my dreams and see the good in the unknown. I want to fan that flame and challenge the apathy that says “this is as good as it gets.” So, instead of believing those lies, I wake up each morning making a conscious choice to show up for life. I’m choosing to keep fighting for growth and healing. This life is fragile and we are not in control of so much. Every breath we are given is a gift to be celebrated and every moment an opportunity to live with intention.
This life rains and it shines but, through every season, hope is always steady and present. Like a faithful friend, hope holds us up when we don’t have the strength, reminding us that we’re more resilient than we know and that there will be lighter days. Hope plants seeds of gratitude in our hearts, creating an overflow of thankfulness when beautiful circumstances unfold in our lives.
I don’t have it all figured out, and some days my heart is weary, feeling like I’ve been waging an uphill battle for 30 years. But most days, my perspective is shifted in a different direction and I’m able to see that, even here, even when it hurts and things feel out of my control, my life is so full of purpose and joy surrounds me. Even here, in the process and the growth and the inevitable heartache, I feel the fire burning inside me – that desire to chase my dreams and see the good in the unknown. I want to fan that flame and challenge the apathy that says “this is as good as it gets.” So, instead of believing those lies, I wake up each morning making a conscious choice to show up for life. I’m choosing to keep fighting for growth and healing. This life is fragile and we are not in control of so much. Every breath we are given is a gift to be celebrated and every moment an opportunity to live with intention.
This life rains and it shines but, through every season, hope is always steady and present. Like a faithful friend, hope holds us up when we don’t have the strength, reminding us that we’re more resilient than we know and that there will be lighter days. Hope plants seeds of gratitude in our hearts, creating an overflow of thankfulness when beautiful circumstances unfold in our lives.
"
This life that you are living is not an insignificant one. I hope you know that. Who you are and the words you speak hold tremendous value. The feelings that feel heavy — the ones you may want to run from — those feelings are valid. Feel them and remember that tomorrow is a new day, full of opportunity."
Breathe in the fresh air and know that this life is a precious gift. Smile when you’re able and celebrate the stuff that usually goes unnoticed. Fight with everything inside of you to stay present. Show up for yourself, for your people, for your wild dreams and desires. Look around you, look up at the sky. Drink water. Lots and lots of water. Care for your precious body. Love your skin. The parts of you that you wish were flatter or smoother or more curvy, love those parts of you the most. Thank your beautiful body for doing the miraculous work of allowing you to be right here, right now. Breathing, thinking, feeling. Alive. You are alive. What a gift that is. Be thankful for the good conversations and the nights you laugh so much your cheeks hurt. Love big and full and wide and don't ever stop. Be in-the-mess, in-the-long-haul. It will be worth it. It will all be worth it.
My hope for you today, and every day to follow, is that you believe that who you are MATTERS. You are enough. You are strong and resilient. May you believe that you are worthy of love and every good thing. Keep dreaming big bold dreams, and keep taking steps towards them.
Let's each get out of bed tomorrow and open our eyes. Let's choose gratitude for the opportunities around us, however small or big. Let's honor the pain we feel by not ignoring it but choosing to see it and to notice what it may be teaching us. Let's be aware, let’s be present and show up full-hearted to the day before us. I think that's the bravest thing we could ever do.
We love you, Jordan.
My hope for you today, and every day to follow, is that you believe that who you are MATTERS. You are enough. You are strong and resilient. May you believe that you are worthy of love and every good thing. Keep dreaming big bold dreams, and keep taking steps towards them.
Let's each get out of bed tomorrow and open our eyes. Let's choose gratitude for the opportunities around us, however small or big. Let's honor the pain we feel by not ignoring it but choosing to see it and to notice what it may be teaching us. Let's be aware, let’s be present and show up full-hearted to the day before us. I think that's the bravest thing we could ever do.
We love you, Jordan.
A Few Of Jordan's FP Loves
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