What I learned at 35,000 feet...

When I started this blog page in 2012 I was hopeful that I was ready to dive into my discomfort and write to the world. As you can see the "diving in" was really more of an act of dipping my toe into the water followed by running in the opposite direction. It wasn't until I was 35,000 feet in the air reflecting on the past 10 days that I finally found the courage to write about the things I discovered. Some of the lessons were trivial and some I will remember for a lifetime.


1. After months of busy schedules, emotional relationship roller coasters and just life events taking it's toll I was excited to board the plane for my business/pleasure trip to New England. Once I had boarded the plan I knew I had the next few hours of uninterrupted me time and I chose to give my brain a rest and occupy the hours with a little entertainment reading.  My choice of material was the newly released Adele bio and from the pages I learned the surprising fact that the album 21 was in the final stages of being produced before she ever wrote the song "someone like you." It was a last minute add after she received a phone call giving her the news of the one she held in her heart was about to promise his heart to another. Being the music junky that I am I couldn't imagine my song collection without this masterpiece.

2. I learned that 7 years is never to late to make good on a promise with a best friend! A memory I will hold close to my heart for another 7 years and beyond.

3. I learned that with each business trip back to our Home Office campus I am reminded of the little six year old girl whom with bright eyes and a spirit to set her dreams on fire promised her mother that she would one day be a successful business woman. It is in the busy moments of hurried "hellos" and the "I will call you after my meetings" as you quickly brush the elbows of others in the same frantic, hopefully quest to become a "somebody important" that I am reminded of the bright eyed, spirit filled little girl who has now grown up to accomplish so much yet still aspires to be so much more.

4. I have learned that loving yourself, embracing who you are as a person is just as important and needs the same amount of attention as the person you have chosen to give your love too. Yes, we have all seen quotes by the dozen that remind us to make ourselves important but it wasn't until recently that I discovered the truth behind the words. Understanding and ultimately loving the person you are this will provide you the heart, compassion, and strength needed to survive throughout the years, tears and opinions of others.

5. Lastly, I have come to understand that not every little girl born into this world has a Daddy she can count on to be her hero and not every grown woman has a father that she can lean on for support when life proves to her that she doesn't yet know everything. But what I have learned in the quite moments standing by the ocean looking out to the lighthouses as they stand strong in the distance among the crashing waves is that this little girl has a daddy who still tries to be her hero. In their silent moments together he tries to provide her with comfort, encouragement, and love when she doesn't really want to admit "she might not know everything." 

~from a state of pensiveness....
Originally written 9-16-12