Meet Whitney.

Whitney has been a dear friend of mine for nearly 20 years. I have been so fortunate to have her in my life and I’m constantly so edified by the person she is and is becoming. She’s the hardest working woman I know, and I am always so surprised by the weight she carries, with joy. I’m so excited for you to meet her. 

You are such an adventurer, have you always been this way, or was there a turning point in your life?

I guess always. My family went on lots of little vacations all my life. There is a certain magic to breathing the air of a different place. It’s technically the same air. The same moon. The same stars. But the people. They are what make a place. Some places are different in every single way. Some are eerily similar even though you are on the opposite side of the world. I’m very careful to see the subtle differences everywhere. Observance is a skill. It would be such a waste if we didn’t use it to see our own beautiful planet. I have been a lot of places, but there is so much more to see. It’s worth mentioning that I write this approximately 48 hours before I leave for the Dominican Republic. This will be thrice that I have gone down to host free medical clinics for the island’s inhabitants. Each time I go, I come back a little better.

What never ceases to both confuse and amaze me is that each time I am about to leave the country, I get really scared. It’s ironic that for someone who loves to travel so much, I hate being away from my home.

What is your magic trick to having long and luxurious locks? (hair.) Because seriously, it’s always so so so beautiful.

You flatter me. No trick. I don’t blow dry it unless I absolutely mustly must. I wash it with good shampoo. I use moroccan oil. And (this may make the hairstylists of the world cringe) I hardly ever ever cut it. I only ever let my sister do it and she lives in CA.

Do you believe people are innately good?

My first inclination was to say that I really do. But then I thought, it’s hard to do the right thing. I think most people are – and this sounds harsher than I intend – selfish. People, whether good or bad, are living to benefit themselves, ultimately. Is that good or bad? I don’t know. But it’s true. Depends on your definition of good and bad. What your morals are. But…most people don’t commit murder, or hurt others intentionally, and if they do they feel guilt. I think it’s the grayest of the gray areas, but most people love their mothers and give gifts and work hard. So, in one word, yes.

If you could change one thing, and just one, about the world, what would it be?

That everything would be fair. I often ask, why me? Why wasn’t I born in a place of poverty or under the thumb of dictatorship? The only thing I can say is that I wish life was equal. That everyone had the same opportunities.

What has been the happiest moment of your life so far?

Every single day Chase reminds me, “We’re so lucky. How could we ever want for anything? We’re going to be happy for the rest of our lives.” He never stops telling me how much he loves me, or how beautiful I am, or how excited he is for our future. I literally mean every. single. day. So, I don’t think I could pick a moment. There are the obvious ones. When Chase told me he loved me for the first time. When I graduated with my Bachelor’s degree. When my parents are proud of me. It’s so many different levels of happy. But I feel true joy every day. Little tiny moments that make up my life. My life is my happy moment.

When was the last time you were brave?

I had to think about this, because I have been different types of brave. When I meet with CEO’s and am in a room full of physicians asking me questions. When my Grandpa Great died. When I snuggled with tigers and rode an elephant and canoed through a cave of bats after dark in Thailand. I have been lots of kinds of brave and never regretted one minute of it. I love the adrenaline rush!

You have a beautiful garden, do you believe having your own garden makes you enjoy food more? Tell me about becoming a gardener and the outcome, etc.

There is nothing more satisfying than literally enjoying the fruits and vegetables of your labor. When my little tiny plants are pushing their hardest up through the ground just to reach a little sunlight, I can’t help but smile. It makes my heart full! Then I get to know that I am putting the utmost organic food into my body, and it was my own hands. I think we have lost that feeling in today’s society, when you can buy anything you would need. Picking a warm, sun-kissed peach off of my tree and biting into it, juice running down my chin…it’s better than any sweet I’ve ever had. It makes going out in the middle of the night a few times to shake off the unexpected snow worth it (well, Chase technically did the shaking). Then, I get to give it all away when I have grown too much, like I do every year. Everyone should attempt a garden! It can be so frustrating when you go out and bugs have eaten all of the leaves off of the tiny squash plants, or when your chickens go in and muss up all of the dirt. But the reward is amazing when you overcome those obstacles. It’s the simplest type of meditation.

You are such a hard worker, how do you stay optimistic, and driven to get things done?
Small victories. Big future plans. A lot of encouragement from a loving, supportive husband and a bulldog of a boss and mentor.

What are you most looking forward to in the next 5-10 years?

All the places I will travel. And the work I will be able to do to get me where I want to be. Then after that, the children I will have. And building my dream home. So many things! I am planning on having a wonderful life. It has been amazing so far, and I can’t wait to experience each day.

How do you believe we truly love one another?

Seeing everyone you meet as an individual person who has the same needs as anyone. For instance, compare the impoverished community I recently returned from in the Dominican Republic with us back in the US. The 101-year-old woman whom has probably never in her entire 101 years left her tiny, onion-farming village was in need of a hug just as much as the American metropolitan policeman after a bad day. Everyone loves a good hug. Look past what they seem to be and just feel what they are. Then you will be able to love everyone equally. Also, don’t be jealous of those that may have something you want. Just be happy for them and look forward to the day when you will have the things you want as well.

What is the coolest shape you’ve seen in a cloud?

My memory is far too poor for that!