Years ago I lived at warp speed. I was in the middle of New York City, there were opportunities all around. It made sense.
But since I could walk, I’ve always sought the wild places. I’m not surprised to find myself in a position to choose what work I accept and how I spend my time.
In today’s value system, anyone looking at me would wonder if I have both oars in the water. I choose to use something until I no longer works. I don’t need a newer car, a newer computer or a newer pair of shoes.
Yes, I’m a fashion victim, but I’m a stress-free fashion victim. Those cares went away with anorexia.
When I was a homeowner, I devoted valuable marketing time to securing 4.5 acres of tax delinquent property into a town park. I met resistance, mostly from the drug dealers who thought all open space, including my woods, were for their use.
I put up with getting shot at, having the police tell me that swastikas painted on rocks was not a crime, and town board members tell me the land was the county’s responsibility.
In the end, God sent an angel in the form of a neighbor with connections to the community. We got the town and the county to work out a deal to turn the spot into a town park and even a bit of money from a county legislator. I carried petitions for the town board representatives who supported me. I even registered five neighbors to vote.
But, I could have been spending that time building my business and making money. I just didn’t. Somehow I always end up with what I need. I am deeply grateful.
Sometimes it would be nice to measure my successes by the size of my client list or my billing hours. But then I ride by that town park and think about how there are no drug dealers. A bit of grass is growing and no garbage has been dumped. That’s major.
It may qualify for a DEC tree planting. That would be exciting.
I can’t exactly explain why the park is a measure of success in my mind. Maybe because I’m such a poor business woman.