The summer before my senior year of high school…
We moved an hour from where I grew up.
Seeing as though it was my final year with friends I’d been with forever, the last thing I wanted to do was change schools.
And so I used my dad’s address, and committed to finishing where I started.
As thankful as I was to be able to do this, that was one of the busiest and trying times of my life!
This decision required me to wake up at 4:30am on school days, drive an hour + through all kinds of Chicago burbs weather, complete a typical day of HS… including some before and after school practices for show choir and other performances… work at a daycare after school, followed by an hour + drive home… where I’d quickly eat something… GO TO THE GYM TO WORKOUT!!!, come home to do my HW, and maybe get in 5-6 hours of sleep, if lucky, before doing it all again.
I look back at that time, and am in awe of just how much I committed to.
And I couldn’t help but ask myself…
Why?!
The reason…
Because it was important to me!
It was comfort, friends, teaching, and health.
Everything I committed to held great meaning.
And it was worth every second of the effort.
This past weekend, I spent some time with my kiddos and family in the town I moved to during my senior year of HS…
The town I barey remember living in…
Because I was hardly there.
I was amazed at how in awe of this city I’ve become…
Now that I’m no longer 18… and a kid.
I found myself admiring the trees, the people, the beautiful farm lands, the fair, and the farmer’s market.
I sat back and thoroughly enjoyed kicking off my flip flops as I planted myself in the grass, took in some folk music, watched the kiddos play, and sipped my iced coffee.
I truly felt blissfully content…
Why?
Because what is meaningful to me has shifted in the last 20 years.
What this small town charm provides me now…
It just wasn’t important to me when I was 18.
But it’s immensely important to me now.
I share this to say…
The things that are meaningful to us in life will shift.
It all depends on our age, and season of life.
However…
Core values typically remain rather intact.
I still continue to love people… and music… and beautiful memory-making moments.
I don’t take for granted spending time with those I love.
I still find myself quickly agreeing to drive miles in order to have a good time.
I encourage you to reflect on what is currently meaningful to you.
What meanings have shifted?
What core values seem to have remained intact?
Lean into those core values.
They truly are eye-opening…
And have the potential to make your life exponentially better when you honor them.
Believing in us, always!
