We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Alyssa Londoño a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alyssa, we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?
My mom has always been my best friend and the main source of my resilience. Growing up it was just her and I which made our bond that much stronger. I watched her raise me as a single mother and persevere through many tough times.
One of the toughest times she ever had to endure was when she was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer. When you hear “Pancreatic Cancer,” most people automatically think it is a death sentence, but my mom never felt like this. Instead, she felt the exact opposite. She made it a point to find joy and love in everyday things for as long as she was here with us. We would be sitting in her chemotherapy sessions and she would joke with the nurses and doctors, putting a smile on everyone’s faces. She would have dance parties with my twins in the living room, blasting her country music and singing all the words. She had the biggest smile on her face and never once the pain slow her down.
This showed me what true resilience and grace is. This inspired me to write my book, Love is Everywhere. Sometimes in life I think we forget how important these small things are. My mom showed me that through the pain and hard times there were still such amazing and beautiful things that we shouldn’t let pass us by. My book is centered around this premise, finding love in ordinary, everyday things. This is such an important lesson to live by.
I am so proud to have been brought up by my mother. It has molded me into the person I am today.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
Some of the things I am passionate about is spreading awareness and raising funds for Pancreatic Cancer in honor of my mother. Once my mom was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer I knew that I had to get involved somehow. I felt so powerless and needed to help other people like me. I quickly became involved with the organization PanCAN. I am so proud of this organization and all of the work that they do to help families affected by Pancreatic Cancer.
One of PanCAN’s largest events is PurpleStride. PurpleStride is taking place this year on April 27th 2024 in NYC at the South Street Seaport. It is also at nearly 60 events in communities across the nation. Team captains raise money for their teams and then on the day of the walk show up and everyone celebrates together.
Another thing that I am passionate about is my book, Love is Everywhere. My children’s book was inspired by the bond between a mother and her child. While my mom was fighting this horrible disease, this book took new form, and I was inspired to base it off how my mom found love and joy in all the small things. It didn’t have to be a big event, or a special occasion; it could be something as simple as jumping in the rain while it was raining outside or playing in a pile of leaves. She found love everywhere. This is something I think we forget in our busy, daily lives. This is something that I believe no matter old or young, we can learn from and cherish.
In my book, we follow a young girl, who was inspired after my own daughter Gabriella, on her journey at finding love in everyday things. Being an educator, I noticed that there were not enough diverse main characters in my classroom library, main characters that my own children could see as themselves and relate to. I made sure that I modeled this main character off my daughter who has wild curly hair, beautiful tan skin and a bubbly personality. My main character realizes that love is not just one thing, but all around her…it’s everywhere. It really emphasizes the theme that love is universal.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
I think the three qualities that were most impactful on my journey was courage, empathy, and resilience. Being an author I was able to cope with my loss through writing. I was able to express myself and share part of my mom with the world. This is something I am truly grateful for. I love being able to share my mom with the world and continue her legacy.
I think the best advice I have for people who are early in their journey is to work with others. I have continued to learn and collaborate with people who are experts in their field. In my writing field, I am able to work with an amazing critique group who always pushes me to be the best writer I can be. In my cancer awareness journey, I am able to collaborate and volunteer alongside the inspirational people at PanCAN who are always looking to do more and spread as much awareness as they can.
How would you spend the next decade if you somehow knew that it was your last?
If I knew that this decade would somehow be my last, I would be present in every moment. I would make sure that I gave my all everyday. I am currently having to go through many of my mom’s possessions. It has been such a challenging task for me. But while I am going through her things it also reminds me of the type of person she is. It helps me reflect and smile when I come across one of her favorite books or her box full of paint brushes. It reminds me of all the things she taught me and the type of person she was. This is something that will forever live on and makes this process so much easier to handle.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://alondono0612.com/
- Instagram: author.alondono
- Facebook: Author Alyssa Londoño
- Other: Link tree: https://linktr.ee/alondono
