On the Verge

The combination of excitement and nerves are palpable today. At 58 years old, I’m about to cross a threshold I set for myself in 1988.

This redirect of life was a deliberate roadmap to step away from a comfortable role I was nearly born into. Staying would mean continued focus on fulfilling someone else’s vision. Leaving would mean the possibility of self-actualization.

If the journey really is more important than the destination, I’ve seen plenty of road getting to this spot. On Saturday afternoon, the second item on my (1988) list of Life Objectives gets its day in public.

Several previous speaking opportunities have proven to be the crust of bread. This one is the entire loaf. TED is an organization and a concept I’ve often used for inspiration and learning. It’s not really like anything else. Call it a 15 minute set of thoughts and ideas meant to engage the mind. When I typed (as in a typewriter) “Be the Best Speaker” on my 3×5 card in 1988, TED was not a thing.

I actually never thought of TED as a method I could be part of until about three years ago. My Mom’s four year path with vascular dementia taught me and continues to teach lessons nearly every day. The more people I talk to about memory loss, the more I realize it’s a giant, pervasive global health issue. 80 million people and their families will face this dilemma by 2030, according the World Health Organization. For perspective, that’s all the Americans in the 13 western states.

Being selected as a TEDx Speaker is no easy feat. Each event has a specific theme and all talks, no matter the speaker, must fit in that concept. I’ve come close to being selected before but the universe wanted me to wait. I can now see why. 

In just three days, I’ll walk out to the round red carpet and deliver what I hope to be the very best gift I have in me. I did not get here alone. Everything good in life happens by collaboration. The first time I met Joanne, TEDx Everett licensee, I found another caring soul trying to lift the world in her own unique way. Anyone that’s willing to take on this challenge surely isn’t doing it for themselves. There will never be enough words to thank her for allowing me this really important seat at the table.

In this past week, I’ve experienced the most significant centering of self since the most significant day of this life, December 5^th, 2005. This too is a birth, just a different kind and for a purpose much greater than my own.

Here’s to you Momma Jean.