Tricia Hixon is one of our amazing Sseko Fellows and adds to much depth to our community with her insights and eloquent observations. Today, she shares with us a little about her experience stepping into sisterhood…
Friendship arises… when two or more of the companions discover that they have in common some insight or interest… till that moment, each believed to be his own unique treasure (or burden)… “What? You too? I thought I was the only one.”
– C.S. Lewis
I didn’t know I needed the community of Fellows, until I NEEDED the community of Fellows. I should have known something special was up when I saw profile pictures of other Fellows, wearing hats! I didn’t know then, that I had found my people. A place where hat-wearing-me, wasn’t considered an oddity…
When I signed on to be a Fellow, I not only asked many questions but I also sought to be the answer, to help out Fellows in distress. I hid behind my typed words because my anxieties about hosting shows and publicly speaking to people, were too much to overcome. A year into this self appointed role, it all changed. Because I only have space for aprox. 500 words, ask me later about the conference, the group text, and well, how that opened me up to sharing. And oh, I shared. I asked for prayer. I was met on the other side with promises to uplift me and similar requests of needing strength.
At the time, I was going through deep waters. A brokenness so low that the lifejacket wasn’t holding me up. My teens were exercising their independence… a course of events had left me so emotionally battered, questioning if there was any worth to my very being, value as a mother. I didn’t know I needed this sisterhood of Fellows, until I was in a pit of darkness and felt their arms lifting me up.
This sisterhood of women has been a lifeline for me. They have shown me glimpses into what it means to truly care for someone, about being raw, vulnerable enough to let your unhealed scars show through. This past year has been a time of rebuilding. Seeking out truths from the Scriptures, being validated by family and close friends, all the while having my spirit poured into by women I had never even met… incredible, resilient overcomers. They rallied alongside of me, in my mental confusion and my physical pain.
Because of the sisterhood, I am learning to show up, no matter what state I am in. I’m learning to keep on sharing my story, even in the midst of it being written, with the pages unfinished and the plot still being worked out. I’ve been encouraged to keep on seeking out beauty, to keep on being who God has uniquely created me to be, quirks and all! Because of the sisterhood, I have support in being brave to share the Sseko story, which is my story too.
My sister in Uganda? Her heart for gospel music moves me, while her work ethic motivates me… she believes our paths will cross one day. My 500 plus sisterhood of Fellows? They inspire me to be the best version of myself, humble me with their genuineness and courage, and humor me with their GIFs. And when I met my roommates at Summit for the first time? It was like we were already well weathered friends… the bond through believing that every Sseko sandal truly has a story behind it, is a strong one.
If you would like to step into the opportunity that Tricia has as a Sseko Fellow, we would love to talk to you!
As a Sseko Fellow, you’ll be part of an incredibly supportive group of women, you’ll get to style and sell stunning fashionable products that make a difference in the lives of women across the globe, and you’ll earn an income for yourself and your family.