Bonnie Meets Lynn

My Story at a Glance

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We Talk on the Phone - Once

Early December, 2003, I was in Los Angeles attending the IBI (Income Builders International) Forum. Saturday was the event’s trade show, during which many program participants and graduates display their products and services. A man and a woman were jumping around on the strangest workout shoes I had ever seen. While I was quite curious and wanted to try them on, I was preoccupied with the trade show. I finally got to check out the shoes at 1 am, and instantly fell in love! I was ready to buy a pair on the spot, only to find out that the woman was doing a friend a favor. She gave me a brochure with the website, www.jumpforhealth.com, Lynn’s name, phone number and email address, jumplady@aol.com, on it and said I’d have to order the rebounding shoes from her.

A few days later, after I had gotten settled in back at home, I called Lynn and ordered my shoes. During the phone call, I found out that Lynn was living in Gainsville, FL, just a few hours away. Lynn also briefly told me the story of her tough transition. We had a great time talking, and so we agreed that next time she was heading to South Florida to visit friends she’d stop by so we could meet in person.

As soon as I got off the phone with Lynn, I told my boyfriend, Steve, and a friend Lynn’s story. They were as amazed as I was.

I got the shoes a week later, only to discover that they were too big. I decided to postpone contacting Lynn until Steve and I got back from the weekend retreat we were getting ready to attend that weekend near Ocala, FL.

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We Meet in Person ~ We’re Both Amazed!

We arrived a little late. Yogi Amrit Desai was already teaching. After he was done, he asked if anyone had anything they wanted to share. One woman came up and asked a question. They Amrit called upon another woman and asked her to tell the group her story.

She went up to the mike and started talking. Within minutes I realized that sitting right in front of me was Lynn!!!

I turned to Steve and whispered, “Jump Lady!” He confirmed by signaling thumbs up!

I had to wait until the end of the session before I could approach Lynn. As soon as Amrit left the room, I started loudly whispering, “Jump Lady, Jump Lady.”

As soon as I was face to face with Lynn, I said, “Bonnie from Melbourne, size 8.” At that moment, she knew who I was! Both of us were blown away! We had talked on the phone only once, neither yoga or Amrit had come up in our conversation, and there we were, hugging like long lost friends.

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Discovering How Much We Have in Common

We got to talk several times throughout the rest of the day. I told her my middle name is Lynn. Later, we were talking about Amrit’s Yoga Teachers Training Program. I told Lynn that Steve and I had already taken the training. Lynn said that her daughter had also taken the training, but that she couldn’t have been in our class. Pointed to a young man across the room, she said she had been in his class. I looked at the man to whom Lynn was pointing and replied, “If she was in his class, she was in our class.” Then I asked Lynn what her daughter’s name was. She replied, “Melani Jenkins.”

I thought for a moment, searching my mind for a face to put with the name. Then I knew.

“Lynn, did your daughter give you a gift of matching necklace, bracelet and earrings of red and black beads?”

“Yes,” she replied.

“I made them and Melani bought them for you during teachers training!”

The more we talked, the stronger the connection became. We agreed that we would stay in touch. And we did!

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We Decided to Work Together

A few weeks later Lynn came to visit us in Melbourne, on her way down to South Florida. She talked about wanting to rebuild the business she and her late husband had started. I was quite interested in learning more, and possibly helping her. I told her about my experience as a business coach, and what I had been learning at IBI. I also wanted her to meet two of the other IBI grads. She agreed to stop on her way back to Gainsville.

She did. We all talked for many hours, and finally agreed to help her. During the following months we emailed and talked often. Then she, Steve and I spent 5 days together camping at Ginny Springs, FL. During that time we discovered even more synchronicities in our lives.

We had read many of the same books, listened to the same tapes, studied the same subjects, studied with the same teachers, and taken many of the same courses. We were also both coaches, even though our focus was somewhat different. Somehow we even discovered that at the Cocoa Beach Art Show a few years ago I had bought earrings and music CDs from a guy she had dated and used to help him make the jewelry he was selling.

We continued to work on the business for several more months. During this time we became very good friends as well. We decided to take a break over the 2004 holiday season. When we got together again in January, Lynn said she came to realize that she didn’t want to continue working on the business. She realized that while she loved the rebounding shoes and wanted to continue selling them, it had been Dan’s dream to raise money, do a national infomercial and build a national business, and she didn’t want to do it without him.

The good news is you can still buy rebounding shoes from our website, www.jumpforhealth.com.

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We Support Each Other Through Our Tough Transitions

We continued to talk and email often, even after she moved to California.

Shortly thereafter I launched myself into my tough transition. Lynn stood by me, held my hand, and coached me through the worst of it, even as I continued to help her through hers.

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Lifelines to Laughlines is Born

And that’s how we came to conceive of the Lifelines Program and the Lifelines Community we wished we could have found when we were so in need of support, encouragement and guidance.

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You’re Invited to Join Us

You’re invited join us for the free Introduction to the Lifelines Program.