A few years ago, I had one of the most significant interactions I have ever had with a stranger. I was attending an event organized by a well known foundation for its beneficiary organizations. It had only been weeks since I started a new job as the executive director of a small nonprofit. While mingling with other attendees, I stopped to chat with a vibrant elderly woman in her early 80s. Am I the only one who’s always drawn to people much older than me for conversation? 🤔
Anyway, the kind lady and I exchanged the usual networking words. Names. Organizations. Before long, she was asking where I come from. When she didn’t recognize Burundi, I tried to explain to her some of the differences between East and West African norms. I said that, typically, Burundian people are reserved and tend to stay to themselves. She looked at me, smiled big, and said « you don’t seem reserved; you seem like a go-getter to me. »
The words fell off of her lips as though she says them all the time. She had no idea that she had just given me fuel to push through three years of intense work supporting some of the most vulnerable people around. Every time I faced what seemed like an impossible challenge, I remembered what that lady saw in me. I still do today, but I wonder if she would still see that fire in me if we had a chance to talk again.
You see, I have always prided myself in knowing the things I want vs. the things I would rather not pursue. The decisions I made in my 20s were exhibits of the side of me that jumps even when everyone and everything is against it. These days, I wonder if I still have that fire in me. When was the last time I made a real bold move? Have I become too comfortable in my current routine? It’s totally possible. I am content with life, but it’s no excuse to lie too far back and ignore the thirst within pushing towards the « go-getter » in me. I have been hearing that lady’s voice more often and more clearly lately. I think it might be time to stop and figure out what exactly I am supposed to be going after.
