I sometimes play up my affection for celebrities I admire (Oprah!), but despite working around Hollywood, I am not a selfie-hunter. I just figure they're people too, trying to go about their day, and posting a photo of me with someone famous doesn't make them my friend, or me more important. The few conversations I've had with actors are virtually the same as I'd have with anyone else. I might mention a performance of theirs, but I prefer learning about their lives in a way that grounds them in the same world we both live in.
This was not the case when I met Marie Kondo. I was excited when I secured tickets to hear her speak as part of her book tour for Spark Joy, though I didn't expect to be more than another face in the crowd. As the date approached, I began to think that I should find a way to thank her for writing Tidying Up, which changed my life. I decided to write a letter and give it to her or one of her handlers at the event. I jotted a couple drafts, and copied the final in my not-so-good handwriting to two sheets of stationery. I also researched and included the customary kanji for opening and closing the letter. Ready to press my luck, I also brought a copy of Tidying Up in case I could ask her to sign it.
Arriving to the auditorium of about 700 attendees, the energy was electric. I was happy to chat with the other excited tidiers, though I was surprised to learn that no one around me had actually started tidying. They were fascinated to hear about my experience, which I shared until the lights came down. Through a show of hands, the announcer confirmed that about half the attendees had read the book, but that only 15 people had completed the KonMari Method. The finishers got our own little round of incredulous applause.
When Marie Kondo was introduced, my adrenaline went to 11. I nodded through her presentation, which was an abbreviated version of the instructions I already knew by heart, and I chuckled at her performance of what "spark joy" feels like. As the session wrapped up, the announcer casually asked everyone to line up for the book signing. It sounds silly and obvious that she would do a signing since she was on a book tour, but I couldn't believe it. I was suddenly extremely nervous!
The crowd slowly inched our way toward the front, and everyone started making deals to snap photos with each other's smartphones. I had my thank you letter ready to present, and I tried to pull together what I would say. Finally, it was our moment. I'll never forget looking into Kondo's sparkly eyes (they really did sparkle), and connecting for those few seconds as I gave her my thanks. Kondo was absolutely sweet and gracious as she took my note and thanked me as well. It was praise all-around, but it was sincere.
I assume someone on her team coined the term #konvert to designate us KonMari tidiers, but I've never used it because it sounds cult-y to me. I do not worship Marie Kondo, because in the end she's another person like everyone else. In fact, I have this joke where I envision Kondo walking into her perfect, tidy home and greeting her perfect, tidy things, only to open a door and throw her bag into a room piled sky high with junk. I think it’s my way of bringing her down to earth a bit. That said, she also brought me down to earth through tidying, getting me out of the material sphere I'd constructed for myself and allowing me to move on to so much more joy in the present moment. Even if she didn't read the letter, I'm glad I had the opportunity to tell her so.
