One of my bosses was a big proponent of providing context, and that will come in handy as you read my blog, and perhaps my book. 

My life began in Humboldt, a small West Tennessee town. It had a population of around 8,000 while I was growing up. This meant small classes, teachers who knew my siblings, merchants who knew my parents, and well-attended churches that dotted a lot of corners. My life was uncomplicated, in retrospect, and featured six-block walks to my grandmother’s apartment after elementary school, usually with my best friend, Freddie. Riding my bike all over town until I was old enough to drive. Playing softball during recess at the ‘new’ school, which did not yet have pavement. Mud was in good supply as I recall, however.

Through a series of God winks, some of which appeared to have nothing to do with the Almighty, I went from teachers’ aid at the junior high, to CSR in one small agency and office manager in other. Then, over the next 26 years:

• Commercial insurance underwriting (and a move to St. Louis)
• Underwriting Specialist (Indianapolis)
• Frontline underwriting again (Atlanta area)  
• Move home to TN (Nashville area) and eventually job as independent agent trainer
• Move to East TN, where my heart is, and JUST before I retired.

Almost everything I do now is because I enjoy it. I am grateful that I have the luxury of autonomy in budgeting my time. I read; I write; I think, perhaps too much. I am getting to know my neighbors and I’ve learned to use the gas grill. Yes, just now. Don’t judge.

I volunteer in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park because it’s the best place to clarify my thoughts and nourish my soul. I hope that you, too, have a quiet place to gather your thoughts and put them to use.