Missions and Monarchies

Recently Queen Elizabeth the II passed away and we paused to consider her often illustrious tenure. During her reign she was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states and interacted with 15 Prime Ministers, beginning with Winston Churchill in 1952. When asked how she kept up with all her royal duties deep into her nineties she replied: “I must continue. If I stop, I’ll drop.”

Not that we are comparing ourselves to the monarchy of Great Britain (heaven forbid!) but there are parallels between Lilibet’s experiences over her seventy-year reign, and what has transpired at Skin Deep during the past forty-two.

Both the Queen and the Deep have viewed the world shift around them and felt the call to change with it to better serve their subjects – er, uh – constituents. Both have had many stewards of their message, starting with radio and newspapers, and eventually evolving into email and social media.

Then there’s the daunting question of staffing. It’s almost impossible to calculate how many devoted crew members attended the Queen at Buckingham Palace, and if you throw in Balmoral and all the other estates … the numbers are staggering. Well, Skin Deep isn’t far behind.

For the past four decades we’ve been blessed to work with hundreds of women (and a handful of men) who contributed to our mission of providing excellent service to the community. Many of them visit each year, particularly during the holidays, for a happy trip down memory lane and to tell us about the accomplishments and escapades they’ve experienced since moving on in life.

In fact, if all the Skin Deep alumni gathered for a reunion, we would have to rent an enormous hall. Something King- (or Queen-) sized should do the trick.

Life is filled with moments which force us to stop and consider. When we do, we consistently find much to be grateful for, and a little awe that we’re still standing. It takes determination, flexibility and grace to stay the course. All virtues the Queen displayed.

“We all need to get the balance right between action and reflection. With so many distractions, it is easy to forget to pause and take stock.” ― Queen Elizabeth II

“I have to be seen to be believed.” ― Queen Elizabeth II

“Family does not necessarily mean blood relatives but often a description of community, organization or nation.” ― Queen Elizabeth II