Dessert First!

I reconnected with some old friends the other day over lunch. I used to talk to these ladies frequently over an eight year period when my boss served two terms on the Arizona Board of Regents. It was an interesting time in my life and while the work was very serious and important, we all knew how to laugh to ease some of the tension along the way.

The assistants from ABOR (Arizona Board of Regents, UofA (University of Arizona), ASU (Arizona State University) and the various Regents’ assistants (including me) would gather for lunch on occasion, usually meeting half way between Tucson and Phoenix in Casa Grande. When my boss had finally finished out his service he encouraged me to keep my relationship with these women active. Even when he left his position for greener grass in California, he felt it was important to stay connected with this group not only for my self but he felt they were important ties for our hospital.

Well, things don’t always go as planned and I ended up in a position where traveling for these lunches would not be tolerated in the least. I told my friends it was time for me to bow out and that someday I hoped to sit down with them again.

Well about three years later, that day arrived last Friday and it was great! I think I was a little too anxious about meeting up with everyone again and I thought we were to meet at the restaurant at 11:30AM instead of 12:00pm. About a minute or two behind me were four of the girls from the ABOR office. They had also arrived early but not by mistake, they wanted to be sure to get there with time to spare since they had encountered an accident last time that shut the freeway down. So we sat together at our table to wait (and gossip) until the other seven women arrived. Then they did the best thing ever…..they ordered dessert! BEFORE lunch. A couple of decadent, gooey, chocolaty things arrived on our table and were shared between the five of us. The attitude was “Why the hell not?” and it was so refreshing.

I had a takeaway from this that I hope stays with me for a very long time. Do what you enjoy, be willing to break the rules, do what feels right for you and you’ll be a happier, more satisfied person in the end. And as I think about it, I’ve gained a lot during the past 17 months; wisdom, confidence and attitude. (and weight…which I’ve managed to take off!) For over 30 years I lived my life for everyone else always making sure everyone else was taken care of. But I realize that I’ve found a new confidence, my sense of humor is back, I’ll do things my way if it feels right to me and I won’t back down on what is important and makes my heart whole.

So I say, “Dessert first!”