A Father’s Day Feature with Jasmine Sim
Interviewed by Faz Gaffa | Photography by The Love Studios at Beginnings
You don't have to go to war to prove bravery. As Jasmine Sim, founder of The Brave Assembly exemplifies, it's the everyday battles and the choice to fight for the people you love — that's what makes you brave. Here's her story:
1. Being The Love Studios, our first question has to be — what does love mean to you?
Love is consistent in both the good and bad times - it celebrates my victories and walks with me in my defeat - it always trusts, protects and preserves. There is a verse from the Bible that beautifully encapsulates what it means to me, it says: “Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."
2. What's your love language?
Without a doubt: quality time over good food and heart-to-heart talks!
3. What kind of love expressions do you enjoy the most?
I love receiving hand-written cards/ notes from friends and loved ones! You can say that I’m a “words of affirmation” kinda person The choice of our words (both spoken and written) have such a powerful impact - they can lift someone up or tear them down.
4. Tell us more about The Brave Assembly!
The Brave Assembly is a small creative studio in the business of creating art, stationery and lifestyle goods that seeks to uplift, encourage and inspire others to boldly live out their dreams.
We started out with customising brush calligraphy artworks and then expanded our product range to include postcards, prints, enamel pins, keychains, planners and even tote bags with our calligraphy designs printed on them.
One of the most meaningful and memorable collaborations was a campaign with HCSA Community Services; a non-profit organisation that is dedicated to give hope, confidence and support to abused teenage girls and young single mothers. As part of the awareness campaign, we calligraphed 4 poems written by American poet and artist, Morgan Harper Nichols onto our tote bag designs.
You can find out more about the En:Courage Campaign here.
5. How does the love you hold for yourself translate to running a business?
In my growing up years, I’ve been deeply hurt by words that were spoken unkindly towards me about my size and appearance. It really affected my self-esteem and made me really insecure.
Through The Brave Assembly, I want to use words to encourage and build others up through my creative expression in brush calligraphy, illustrations and product design. Beyond that, I hope to build a community through this platform where we could inspire one another to boldly pursue our dreams despite our fears, doubts and insecurities.
6. Tell us about a life changing incident that has happened in the recent years and taught you strength?
It was 31 January 2019. The day my dad experienced a ruptured brain aneurysm which led to him suffering a severe hemorrhagic stroke. This incident severely affected his cognitive ability and mobility; he was no longer able to respond, speak nor walk overnight. Our family thought we were going to lose our dad that night and the only thing we knew to do was to pray for a divine intervention.
After 2 major brain surgeries and almost 3 months in the ICU, dad recovered well enough to be transferred to a normal ward where he continued to receive hospital care for another 6 months. It was a miracle.
Those 9 months at the hospital were one of the toughest and darkest period for our family, but it has brought our family closer and made us stronger. The love, prayers and support we received from our relatives and friends through this adversity were beyond what we could imagine - it carried us through this journey as we continue to care for our dad.
This incident has also taught me that strength is found in the everyday, even in present uncertainty - courage is that daily practice where I learn to carry on with great hope even when I’m afraid - strength can be that riveting moment of toughness in the middle of my unknowns and strength can show up very differently in every season.
Strength for mum shows up as her daily prayers for dad’s healing and caring for him. My strength shows up as learning to take up new family responsibilities, surrendering the outcome I want and focus instead on leaning into Hope even though I may not be able to find all the answers.
“Courage is that daily practice where I learn to carry on with great hope when I’m afraid.”
8. How and where do you see yourself growing in the near future?
While I don’t have a brilliant grand plan for the future - I believe growth happens when I remain rooted and grounded in love, so I don’t lose sight of the purpose why I started what I do. What matters is how I finish the race and I want to continue staying the course and fighting the good fight of faith through the different valley lows and mountain highs this life would take me.
