Do you ever wonder about Victoria’s secret? Maybe it is not such a secret at all, but just this morning I pondered that question.

When I was very young and we went to the department store for an infrequent shopping trip, the elevators still had operators. You waited, the elevator would arrive, the door opened and the operator would pull back a safety screen with their white gloved hand that would accordion back but when outstretched across the opening would make diamond shapes. Those (usually) women would announce their arrival by letting the anxious perspective passengers know the direction in which they could travel. “Going Up!” would begin their informational announcement and then recite the wondrous possibilities that “going up” would offer. They were as unique as the ringing of the cable car bell, sometimes brilliantly delicious and exciting and others rather dull and mundane. One of those places was “notions”, which is no longer found in department stores, another was “foundations”.

Foundations, so called perhaps because announcing “Ladies Lingerie” was a bit too forward in those days, was a mystery to me. It was certainly not something that was easily discussed, and wasn’t something I actually cared too much about at that age.  My real focus was floating in a bowl, just before the skywalk that took us to our car; I was paying attention to those goldfish that were always for sale, and the slim possibility of getting my mother to agree to buy one for me.  She never did.  She said I had to earn it.

I thought that growing up was really hard. My parents always knew when I wasn’t giving it my all, and they always pushed me to do my best.  I would protest of course, because doing my best wasn’t always the easiest, shortest or the most fun way. In fact it often brought me to tears, made me angry or anxious. Finding my place and achieving the rhythm of always trying to be the best, be noticed, be vital was never easy. I fought against my parents like most kids, trying to do things *my* way, but I always came back to these foundations laid by my elders. Work hard, do your best, perfect your skill, be kind, respect others, be moral.  Although I wasn’t always sure about everything they taught me… there always seems to be easier ways… they have truly served me well.

These are the foundations…. the underlying values and morals of how we walk through life.  Just like in the store - foundations, the underlying base of your clothing.  Of course getting the right “foundation” was also Victoria’s “secret”.  Gone are the days of burning bras, because everything does look a bit better when we have the correct foundation for the perfect dress.

At the Stanford Terrace Inn we also have a strong foundation, but it isn’t as literal as an undergarment or concrete slab. Our foundation is our staff, who take pride in the work that they do making it a comfortable place to work and stay. Our foundations are the owners who give us their confidence, which allows us to be the best at what we do. Our foundations are the guests that stay with us who take the time to share their thoughts with us on how to improve their experience. Our foundation is strong, which helps us thrive.  In fact, if you haven’t noticed, we are wearing a *LOVELY* new dress in the form of a mural. Come take a look. =)
Shanti,
Barbara