Lesson Plan

This month I am giving a couple of speeches to womens groups where I have promised to share lessons I've learned on the way to, well... here. In preparing my remarks, I remember my 16 year old son commenting to me just a few years ago: "Mom you're to old to be relevant and too young to be wise". Touche. So, I hope that the six years that have passed have brought me some wisdom, or relevance.

I know that women listen and learn best when information is presented in a story. The curious thing is that when I look back on the lessons I have learned (that are worth sharing) the stories seem to have the common thread of calamitous results. How do I feel about getting up in front of large groups and telling tales of disastrous situations? I can't wait! Because we all share these moments in life, which we either created all on our own, thank you very much, or life handed them to us almost as a dare. "No way will she survive this little gem".

That is pretty much how I feel about my personal and professional life. A combination of the shiny little chrome ball bouncing around a pinball machine (TILT!!!) and a game show contestant waiting to see what she's won, hoping that the powers that be will reward me, if for no other reason, than sheer resilience.

Some women had a clear path from high school graduation to where they are today as grown women. I never had a 5-year plan, a goal or a vision. I just knew that at any point in my life, I could take a quiet moment and say to myself: "I don't have a clue what my life will look like it 5 years from now, BUT, I do know that it will be completely different than it is today, and it will be fabulous. Can't wait to get there!"

So what is the lesson in that? Have faith that if you prepare for the just next step, the journey will reveal itself.