I was checking out of a store last week. The woman behind the counter greeted me generically without looking me in the eye.

In her defense, I barely looked at her either.

I was focused on getting my items onto the counter, and fiddling through my purse for my credit card so I could pay quickly and get on to my next errand.

When I finally looked up, I noticed that underneath the woman’s work apron was a shirt I really liked. It had ruffles on the sleeves that made it fun and dressy, but a simple pattern on it that made it casual. And it just popped on her.

“That shirt is really beautiful. It looks great on you.”

We finally looked each other in the eyes.

The look on her face told me it felt good to hear the positive words be sent her way, and the joy in my heart reminded me how good it feels to put positivity into someone’s soul. Continue reading

I was in the third row on the left side of a Southwest flight from Houston to Jacksonville wearing a pink tank top.

My shirt choice was one of the many decisions I was questioning on a day that was so drastically out of character for me.

I was grateful when I noticed that it was a single-seat row so I didn’t have to run the risk of a seat-mate wanting to exchange pleasantries about what was taking us to the east coast.

I hadn’t convinced myself yet that it was the right call to even be on the flight… so I’m not sure I would have been ready to explain it to a stranger.

I spent most of the flight with my forehead pressed up against the window looking mindlessly out at the clouds; every so often banging my head against it to try to knock my “why are you doing this?” fears out of my mind.

A couple of times I glanced at my boarding pass that cost me $172 and wondered how much I’d have to pay if I needed to get a flight home sooner.

Because what if this was all a huge mistake? Continue reading

Last week, my parents walked out of the doors of their workplaces for the last time.

My Mom… a  Church secretary of 26 years and my Dad a banker for over four decades… they decided that when it was time, they were going to head into this new season of life as they have done everything since 10th grade …

TOGETHER.

I’m so excited for them. I know they look to their blank-canvas future with a combination of excitement for all of the possibilities, and a little bit of pause that comes any time this kind of life change comes along. But knowing they have each other along the way makes me know that a lot of joy and new experiences are ahead of them.

I’ve been thinking a lot about them and the “work” part of their lives over these last couple of weeks. It’s no doubt that my parents have both had an influence on me as a person and as a parent, but as a working mom, both of their influences have definitely creeped in to the way in which I present myself in my career.  And these three things stand out.

Continue reading