The New Arrival

An unfortunate illness and surgery had invited her to take care of herself, so I hadn’t seen her for almost two months when we met yesterday. I am delighted to tell you the person emerging was awe-inspiring and vastly different from the woman I met a year ago.

Sadly, she was the only one who made the cut from Craig’s list. And, if you’ve read the earliest blogs, she’s the person that came equipped with a can of mace and her phone predialed to 911. And, though my affection for Meg has only deepened with time – I couldn’t help but love Meg the first time I met her in that coffee shop. You know instantly, she’s the real deal – no façade, an honest smile, and with a rare combination of drive and guts you want to know more about. Her intellect is obvious, yet skepticism is a frequent companion that shows up in her playfulness and sense of humor.

After a successful career in real estate, she decided to return to her earlier roots on the operational side of the business when she moved to Seattle. Two dismal attempts at employment in this new city led Meg to answer my blind classified ad, but I think it’s fair to say she still wasn’t sure why she signed up for this year-long experiment when she arrived at my house for the first time. Like me, the group took to Meg right away. We couldn’t help ourselves; she’s the kind of friend you want at any girl’s night out, yet I suspect she’s equally welcome to hang out with the guys, as well.

And, Meg is so comfortable in her own skin that speaking up came naturally when the ideas, exercises or instruction seemed counter intuitive to her rational convictions. This was most prevalent in the early months; the idea of finding a reflective practice, getting more self- aware, keeping a gratitude journal or searching for the good in everyone seemed a little too Pollyanna for Meg. And, she told us so – in her own words, of course. And, this kept Meg a little stalled, but never deterred.

Yet, it's been lovely to witness the subtle shifts in perspective and hear what she believes in today – starting with herself. When she arrives this time she looks healthy, vibrant, exudes self-assurance, talks of the introspection and important realizations, and confesses she’s learned to take stock in what she’s grateful for; it's changing the way she looks at life. She even confesses she has a new gratitude journal. Meg, like most of us, is realizing that if we change our view of the world – we can find the hidden opportunities for happiness in our careers.

Now Meg has a clearing. So, it's time for her to take another look at the inventory of what she does when she's at her best and what's most important in life. It's finally time for her to bring the puzzle pieces together so she can see the picture of what's next.

And, I can’t wait to see who shows up on October 7th at the Coming Out Party.