Friend Friday – Meet Laura Pinney

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On Fridays, I’m going to introduce you to my friends–one at a time.

I’m going to do this because I believe when we are introduced to someone with words from the heart, they become a part of our community. Our community grows. Our circle of care extends.

I love meeting someone, learning about their dreams or needs and feeling into whether I have something to offer. I love connecting people. I love helping others take the next right step in their lives.

So, I’m going to introduce you to people I love. And it may inspire you. You may have something to offer. You may have a message for someone I introduce. He or she may have something to offer you. I want to offer the dance of connection. I want to grow a community that is steeped in love and inclusivity and care.

Meet Laura.

Laura and I met in birth class. We were both about 8 months pregnant with our first child. My first thought about her was that she was very quiet but she knew and felt a lot. My second thought about her was that I’d like to be her friend.

Kate, my daughter, was born 4 days before Aedan, her son.  Two or three weeks later, we decided to get together and have brunch. Andrew, Kate and I drove out to Redondo Beach where they were living at the time. We brought flowers and something from the farmer’s market. I remember feeling like it was immediately easy. Andrew and Josh ended up talking a lot and Laura and I made our selves comfortable, nursed our babies and talked.

There’s something you should know about Laura right off. She asks excellent questions and lots of them. She asks questions that allow the one who answers to discover a tremendous amount about themselves as they answer. She’s not afraid to ask questions that cut to the heart of the matter. And she listens with great love. She holds you as she listens. And she is always so grateful for whatever answer is provided.

Laura and I spent a lot of time together when our first babes were young. She’d meet me at our apartment near Larchmont, and we’d walk to get a soy chai. Mostly the babies would sleep and we would talk. But there were definitely times when we both just had to deal with screaming children most of the time we were together. But again, it was easy to do that with Laura. There was no pressure or expectation about our time together.

When I met her, Laura was hungry– hungry for poetry, for wise words, for books she should read, for art she should look at, for teachers she should seek out. I’m 15 years older than Laura so I had a few things to suggest. She devoured each one.

Laura was one of the Hello Love Experiment founding members and everyone that met her said that they understood “Hello Love” when they looked in her eyes. She is one of the tribe that rescues field mice and nurses them till they are strong enough to be on their own. She takes in every stray that comes her way or makes sure it is cared for. She opens the doors of her home and her heart to those in need. She is a great teacher in her inclusivity and nourishing love.

Laura’s husband works in the film industry so they move a lot. They moved when the kids were about 2 and then a couple of years later and now they are gone again– to New Orleans. They always return for which I am so grateful. Laura just had a baby daughter, Satya, in February and she is fully back into the sweet nesting phase of new baby.

I know she misses her community here. She worked to really build one and poured her heart into growing her group. I know she feels a bit out of the loop in New Orleans at the moment. Maybe this growing community here can include her in our explorations.

Laura is an extraordinary gardener, painter, poet, artist and cream/ herbal remedy concoctor. She loves yoga and working in circles of women. She is sincere and will give back what you offer — tenfold.

So, I don’t know what it looks like, but maybe you send a picture of you in your garden. Or maybe you offer your favorite poem. Maybe you remember those first months of new baby land and offer her a wish or encouragement. Only you know. I just want you to know her….  You can find her at .

So much love.