Purpose Carries You... Even When It's Heavy

Not many people know, but the night before I was set to launch the MoM Community at Chalhoub Group, an event I had poured my heart into, I got the call: a friend passed away after a long battle with cancer.

Nothing prepares you for the moment news like this arrives. No matter the relationship, no matter how long the illness lingered, death has a way of shaking something deep inside you. It brings with it a storm of emotions, questions, and quiet aches that don’t easily go away.

It was 10pm on a Tuesday and the event was the next morning. I cried my eyes out. Then I fell into a restless sleep, waking 4 hours later with swollen eyes and a heavy heart. As I got dressed and drove to the office, I was torn. Part of me wanted to stay in bed, to mourn, to let myself feel it all. Another part of me kept whispering, “Remember why you’re doing this.”

So, I walked in, red eyes and all.

And something incredible happened. The energy in the room was unlike anything I’d felt. It was warm. Uplifting. Real. There was laughter, bonding, and moments that reminded me how beautiful it is when people come together with open hearts. Somewhere between the hugs, the smiles, and the conversations, my own heart started to feel lighter.

Sometimes, the work we do becomes our anchor. It doesn’t mean we suppress our pain. It just means we choose to show up with it and allow it to transform us. That morning, I showed up for those moms, and for my team, and, unexpectedly, they showed up for me, too.

And that’s when purpose carries you... when you know you're doing something that truly matters.

Chalhoub Group's MoM Community was created in direct response to the feedback of mothers and to demonstrate our ongoing commitment to fostering a more parent-friendly, inclusive workplace. It’s a space for connection, shared experiences, and collaborative effort to enhance the experience of mothers in the workplace.