Not Fade Away

On this journey we call life, there are many people we meet along the way. Some are mere acquaintances, a contingency may be friends in passing, and if we are truly blessed, a select few are dear friends that we know in our heart of hearts that we can always rely on. Some people enter our lives at a certain place or time--and I firmly believe that all things happen for a reason--including meeting people and establishing friendships.

When I was in junior high I moved out of state to a brand new school. I wasn't altogether happy at the school I was at--I was grieving the death of my father and completely socially awkward and unable to find my place. Then the big move, and the opportunity arose for me to reinvent myself, or better yet, become who I wanted to be without fear of rejection--which I already experienced at my old school--I took a gamble (ever the optimist) that things could only get better. Or so I hoped.

Much to my disbelief, many of the people I met in my first year of school in my new hometown accepted for exactly who I am--eccentricities and all--and they are still my friends today. Although we all chose different paths after high school, we still have a common bond that ties us together. I often wonder what drew us to each other initially--our personalities are so very different. But after all this time, it really doesn't matter. All that matters is that these amazing women have made an astounding impact on my life, and continue to do so. As my 20th high school reunion approaches, my wonderful friends have taught me to value love, loyalty, friendship, and honesty, and it's memories of these great women and the lessons they've taught me that I hope the passage of time will not allow to fade away.

The times they are a changin'

Change seems to be the running theme this year. It ruled Obama's campaign. The Internet was abuzz with tweets from Twitter. Leno passed the torch to Conan. More than a few celebrated pop culture icons left millions of fans mourning their deaths. And an Hispanic woman was nominated for a seat on the Supreme Court. Yes, ch-ch-ch-changes were afoot.

Even our humble household was not untouched by the season of change. My status as a stay at home mom (SAHM) changed, after much soul searching, when I took a position as an account executive with a directional marketing firm. I'm thrilled with my new job, but it was a tough decision to come to, after having spent a year caring for Baby A, who recently turned 18-months-old. So many thoughts ran through my mind--am I being selfish? Will my daughter get the care she needs from a stranger? Will I succeed after being away from the business world for so long? Can I really do this?

Honestly, my fears were unfounded. Little did I know when I decided to stay at home with my baby girl, that I was choosing THE toughest job in the world. For real. I thought it would be a piece of cake. We'd sleep in, play all day, take naps, and goof off. How fun is that?! Oh, how I deluded myself! Of course, we did do all of those things, but I didn't factor in managing a home, missing the daily interaction with my peers, as well as the affirmation you receive when you work on projects for the good of an organization. I am a social being. And although I did manage to schedule some playdates during my tenure as an SAHM, it wasn't enough to fulfill my needs, nor, I found, my daughter's, for she is a social being just like her mommy.

As I'm flourishing in my new vocation, so is our girl at daycare. We receive daily reports of her daily activities, and it is a joy to read about her day. She is thriving in her environment with other children and we can see the positive change in her behavior at home. It's fun to watch her dance more and to listen to her babble and rattle off the ABC's, things she would do sparingly while it was just she & I.

So now that our lives have taken a dramatic turn, I find that these changes we've experienced have brought great opportunity for each of us. I can't wait to see what tomorrow will bring.