i was born and raised in the air force. my dad was an air force chaplain and we moved every three to four years. i lived in europe before i could even spell it. i went to three high schools. i have experiences and memories that are super distinct simply because of where i was raised. change has been a constant in my life. you would think that having been exposed to it so many times i would embrace it now, appreciate it more, understand its effect completely, and love it wholeheartedly. i don’t. i hate it actually. i am super afraid of it in fact. so when i meet people like kim, who pine for change, chase after it, and seek it readily i find myself so attracted to that quality because it is something i repel but want to embrace.
kim is a successful business woman who recently started a small business with two of her friends (more to come on that later). she has great visions for her company and its future. there is no doubt in my mind that kim is going to take the company and herself to tremendous heights. kim is educated, articulate, friendly, warm, and has absolutely no fear of change or risk. that in itself makes her super, ultra attractive. not that you needed me to tell you though…just look at her.
a few years ago kim felt the compulsion to spend an extended period of time in italy. she went where the wind blew her. the thought of this is so romantic to me: leaving everything familiar behind, chasing a new love, perhaps, learning new skills in a foreign land, discovering self free from extrinsic forces. although the thought of europe calls my senses (and my camera), it also whispers anxiety to my heart and head because of all the change it would entail. not for kim. she didn’t really know where she was going or how she was going to get there, but she knew she wanted that experience and the unwritten and unscripted adventure in her life. she made the dream reality, embraced the opportunity, and is a more textured and interesting person because of it.
she is also a girl after my own heart. she loves pastries and bakeries and all things found inside them. she someday would love to have a crepe shoppe (please insert the french spelling and pronunciation here). i have no doubt this ambitious and dream believing woman will have her little shop someday, nestled idyllically on the edge of some european river. locals and tourists will pop in and out regularly to experience her sweetness and to taste her ambrosial homemade-secret-recipe danish. i am sure kim and her shop will be listed in travel magazines as the magnolia of europe.
i really enjoyed our time together. she is super calm, peaceful, and relaxed. maybe it’s her ability to just accept things as they play-out, or her care-free spirit that made me feel like i was breathing mountain air while we walked, talked, and recorded this great time in her life.
the thing that is really great about kim is that she is so balanced. she is capricious yet grounded. she knows when she can be sporadic and at the same time understands when she needs to commit and follow through. she seeks opportunity, makes opportunity knock, and takes advantage of every opportunity placed in front of her that will aid in her current circumstance or her future progress, both professional and personally.
kim, thank you for the time we spent together. you inspired me to be brave. opportunities are happening all around me, i need to grab them and experience them like you do. thank you for reminding me of that. may you always chase your dreams. may you always find joy and comfort in change. may you someday have that shoppe you dream of filled with your future sticky- danish- faced children. thanks again kim for the opportunity to meet someone as interesting and cool as you, kj
