Like so many others, I’ve been in a bit of a state of shock since receiving the news that our beloved friend and founder of Young Living, Gary Young, passed away peacefully with his family and closest loved ones on 12th May 2018.
True to the cycle of grief, disbelief is still where I am. I know I can reach for Gary’s beautiful oil blend Acceptance™ to help me with coming to terms with things, but right now in this moment, I’d rather rest a while in this place in hopes that he’s coming back. But I do know that he’s not.
Gary would likely laugh and give me a pat on the back. Perhaps he’d say something akin to, “Now Cliff, climb back on that horse and don’t worry about me – I’ve lived a rich full life following my heart and doing my darndest to bring these beautiful gifts from God to the world with the help of our magnificent worldwide family one home at a time, one harvest at a time, one plant, one seed, one person at a time – each one as precious as the next – and somehow all at once because I will never stop to let the grass grow under my feet as long as there’s more to do and more gifts to help bring.”
I have to have faith that it was simply his time to go to his maker. It brings me comfort to do so.
While we’re all one of a kind, some really do leap out and make us aware of their one-of-a-kindness. If you met Gary, you don’t need me to tell you that. His was a larger-than-life light and presence that filled the building before he even entered it. No matter how large Young Living was growing, he put people first, ahead of everything – except perhaps his dedication to uncompromising quality.
I know firsthand that Gary Young had integrity beyond measure, a heart the size of the great outdoors he loved so much, and I felt humbled whenever I was around him.
Gary left us with every essential oil blend we could ever possibly need. Once all the essentials were in place, we got to know whatever Gary’s latest passion project was by Young Living’s new essential oil blend releases. It was a constant delight to see.
When he fell in love with jousting, the exquisite Chivalry™ blend made its entrance at the next convention, and we watched as he learned this skill until he felt he’d mastered it to the best of his abilities. Lucky he’d already created PanAway™ because he threw himself into jousting with the same 100% dedication he applied to everything he tackled and did come a cropper a few times. But all in a day’s work and Gary never shied away from a challenge and if anything, probably thrived on the odd ‘war wound’ or two to show for his efforts.
Passion was a word that could have been created especially for him. Gary was so moved by passion, he created two blends over the time in its honour: Live With Passion™ (I think from memory that was in 1999, the year the Australian office opened) and recently Live Your Passion™ for the 2016 Convention. He really, really wanted us to get the hint about that one!
When it was time to explore new botanical horizons, Gary and Mary Young moved their family to Ecuador, rolled up their sleeves and started digging. Gary never expected anyone to do anything he wouldn’t do himself and was an inspiring example of leading by example. He and Mary saw the needs of the locals and set about building a school. They established the Young Living Foundation to help and support those less fortunate than most of us, in so many parts of the world.
While his beautiful presence will be forever missed, his spirit will always live on, through Mary and the Young Living team’s ongoing commitment to his vision, through his two wonderful sons who lost their father too soon, and through the legacy of everything that’s been set in place one seed, one plant and one person at a time.
Dear Gary Young … thank you and God Bless you.
