I love to wander, and one day I took this back road that led me to a marsh. It was a hot, sunny summer day, and as I stood in front of the marshy area, I closed my eyes. Aside from the birds’ chirp and the throttle of the bullfrogs, the only other thing I could hear was my mom’s voice.

As the gentle breeze brushed against my cheeks, and I took a long, deep breath, I knew she was there with me: guiding me, nudging me, telling me you are made of good stuff. At that moment, I could have sworn she was standing next to me, and perhaps she was on an ethereal level.

Regardless, her presence was as real as it gets, and her message clear. As I wandered that day, I found myself crying off and on as I tried to figure out what to do next. For years, my purpose aligned with my career. As a learner and achiever, work gives me meaning, and I put my heart and soul into it.

And here I was on this hot sunny day feeling alone, uncertain, and asking the universe to give me a sign that it would all work out, and it did. Although what I had been searching for was there all along.

Throughout my years, she was never shy about sharing her Rosieisms as I like to call them. And many days, I would shrug them off. However, it wasn’t until after she would leave this earth that I would understand and feel the deep connection to her sage advice. Even as I type these words, I can hear her voice so clearly in my head, and her love engulfs my heart.

Her evergreen advice is my mantra and wisdom that I find myself sharing with others.

Those Rosieisms help to lift me each time I fall, and they are the solid foundation beneath my feet – a foundation that guides me so that I can use my experiences to help others.

When something goes wrong, I hear her say, “What are you going to do?”
When I’m unsure of myself, I hear her say to me so lovingly, “You’re made of good stuff.”
When someone or something gets me down, she whispers to me, “Don’t let the turkeys get you down.”

Her words aren’t glamorous. They are quite simplistic. But they were always given with the grandest intention and full of love – a love that I feel every day, and an assurance that has enabled me to be right here sharing my story with you.

These three guiding principles connect me to so much in my life. So, when life threw me a curveball and left me without a job and seriously questioning my purpose, I asked myself, “What are you going to do?”

Initially, I had no idea, and I’ve done some wandering and wondering. However, no matter which way I connected the dots, I kept arriving at the same destination: a desire, a need, and a want to help. So, I couldn’t ignore it any longer.

Letting go of my echoes of the past isn’t easy for me. They had many years to build and fortify within my mind – and I let them. The funny thing is that I was sure I had released them – until recently. When I recognized the pattern, and how much they held me back, I cried tears of relief and joy. At that moment, I knew what I needed to do, and I grew in the discomfort.

That’s what it is about, at least for me anyway. But the most significant part of all this is that you don’t have to do it alone. So, I’m here for you, and I’d love to help you connect your dots so that you can tell your story.

Image by Alain Audet from Pixabay