Merry Christmas & Happy New Year and still from Oklahoma! I am not writing about another move this year and that is a feat in and of itself!
A year now in the District Manager position, it has been a wild rollercoaster ride and I learned a great deal about myself and people in the process. I did not get off to the most positive and satisfying start, but by the end of the year through much trial and error, I found my way and had a very successful year from opening the 600th location for the company, to making some hard decisions, sacrifices and compromises to understanding that it takes venturing into the constant unknown and unwavering consistency to keep moving forward. The business will always take care of itself if one just takes the time to champion the people.
I transferred Reserve units from Louisiana back to Fort Sill, Oklahoma where I started a new journey as a Company Commander. I have charge of 100 Soldiers now and we are a training unit that ensures the next generation of Soldiers has the right people in place to start them off on the right training foundation. It was difficult initially to adjust to the new responsibilities in tandem with Love’s, but after 3 months I finally figured it out. It is an incredibly rewarding position to hold, and I am grateful to have been given the opportunity.
Kaci and Thomas celebrated a beautiful wedding in November surrounded by family and friends after 8 years together and to be a witness to that was an extraordinary privilege and honor. Thomas has always felt like a part of the family without the marriage license, but he truly is the perfect brother-in-law and perfect match for Kaci. To fall in love is always a risk, but to be best friends with the one you love, and to watch it grow and evolve over eight years through good times and bad is a gift. They work together, are honest with one another, appreciate and respect one another. They give freely of each other, to each other and their families and friends. They have never looked at their relationship through rose-colored glasses and waited to marry only after they both knew it was right – duty and obligation played no role. An inspiring example of genuine love sharing something so rare and special that every person should dream to attain the same with another.
Copper joined the family this year. While we are still navigating our new normal, one thing is for sure – a dog is one of the very few things in life that is exactly what it seems, and the epitome of unconditional love. He wants to be friends with the cats so badly, but right now, they are just not about it.
Last year my takeaway was that I was missing the big things in life because I was married to my work. That was not the case this year. Despite still a busy work schedule, I made time for myself. I bought a house, and this time made it a home as opposed to just a place to sleep. I started personal training, consulted with a nutritionist, returned to the gym consistently and even joined Burn Boot Camps. I even started playing golf again and became a hospital board member of the Children’s Health Foundation. I was able to travel a bit and recommitted to being better in friendship and a better sister and daughter – more present, more understanding, more involved.
This year was about freedom. And not just financial freedom. A friend recently pointed out to me that has always been my primary goal and she was right to a point. I never wanted to settle down until I knew I had achieved financial freedom to have the means to care for another person, a family and myself without having to experience financial burden or forced dependability on another; but the freedom to which I am referring is the spiritual mastery of your state of consciousness and accompanying feelings, regardless of the circumstances.
This kind of freedom is only found when we stop assigning our inner peace to people and situations outside of ourselves. When we see that we have the mastery of our own thoughts and feelings, we have the key to unlock the prison we believe we inhabit. When we see that, we will stop assigning blame. That is the path to the ultimate peace, the “peace that passeth all understanding”. We are the only ones who stop our inner joy and peace by believing we are not worthy, focusing on the things we do not have or trying to mold to society’s expectations of us. When we are at peace, we are free to make choices to help ourselves and the world.
I still made my fair share of poor choices and mistakes this year, but the freedom that was given to me by others’ liberation when I was not strong enough to do it myself, and the freedom I gave myself in the situations I could, amounted to extreme relief and great gratitude. Thank you for lifting the weight – you know who you are; and I wish you the same in return.
“Everything can be taken from a man (person) but one thing: the last of the human freedoms – to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.” Viktor Frankl
In 2023, understand that intentionally or unintentionally, hurt people hurt others; but fortunately, healed people heal others. Safe people shelter others. Free spirits free others. Enlightened people illuminate others. And love always wins. I hope you can choose an attitude that will help you move forward regardless of the circumstances you are dealt and realize that you are more than the sum of your parts so you too can be free. Choose free. Choose peace. Merry Christmas!