It’s a Friday in June and I am sitting at my desk plugging away at the ridiculously long list of “to do’s”. I take a quick break from my list and check some social media. I see that Dwell Magazine has their Design show coming up the next week in Los Angeles. These moments usually end in me being a bit excited about the idea of going but result in living vicariously through my social media accounts.
This year is different. I’m frustrated with myself for not making time to focus on what I’m good at. I am focusing on all the things that I am paying others to manage. This frustration turns into excitement because I am not going to live vicariously through my social media this time. I’m going to provide the vicarious experience myself. Yeah, that’s what I’m gonna do. Right? I guess I better ask Rebekah first. I go home and casually bring this idea up…”so you know Dwell Magazine right? The one I’ve depended on forever to get inspiration and insight. The magazine that kept me ahead of the curve long before the idea of social media inspiration. Well they have this show in LA and I wanna…” Rebekah cuts me off and says, “you should go to that and you should take Hayley.” Hayley is the oldest of my three kids. She is 17 and passionate about everything and nothing all at once. Now I know you’re thinking, “no way this handsome young ginger has a 17 year old!” …and you’d be wrong. I immediately agree and the seed of an idea has begun to emerge from the ground.
I tell Hayley that I want to take her to a design show in LA. She obviously jumps at the chance and is smiling so big. Hayley doesn’t know what she wants to be when she grows up and I’m ok with that because neither do I. My plan is to inspire her all while finding some inspiration of my own. I do have a stipulation for her though. One she might not like. Hayley has to design a piece of furniture based on inspiration from the show and she has one month to build it. (With my help of course). Surprisingly with absolutely no argument she agrees. I know you’re thinking, “of course not, she gets to go to LA” but you don’t know Hayley and I assure you that all my words cause an argument of some kind.
Now we have just left the show and she is be-boping down Figueroa Blvd. I ask her if she saw anything that sparked an idea. Her response is merely “yep, several things.” I see it so clearly as we talk. She has seen something that got her attention. Maybe it was a lot of somethings. Regardless of the number of somethings, she is excited. Now that excitement might dwindle when we return to Texas but a deal is a deal and I’ve always taught my kids that integrity is everything. Even when we mess up, owning that mistake is what is important. (Learning from it too but we aren’t on that topic). I also found inspiration at the show for a couple of ideas that I’ll work on when I get home as well. That seed of an idea is out of the ground and has a flower bud on it and I can’t wait to see it bloom.
