Tie-Dyed Angels

That's what Girl Scouts are ... tie-dyed angels. And today I had a visitation! Once again, my little self-sufficient world was rocked with kindness, this one from a tie-dyed angel. This particular one could easily be the queen of all who have sported the signature swirls and twirls. And judging from her widespread fame in this area, if her kindness spreads like her dye, this world is in for a colorful treat!

Her helping hand was more than I could have imagined, and it feels small to just say that she went "above and beyond." But knowing that I'm leaving things in her hands gives me a comfort I don't even know how to adequately express. These Girl Scouts are AMAZING. From young to old, those who inspire young girls are AMAZING. And today, this tie-dyed angel made me feel AMAZING.

If I am ever ambitious enough to make my own costume for any reason, I may find myself rolling up fairy wings and squirting them with dye!

We're All Different ... Or Are We?

I am inspired by this toolbox. It looks very much like an organization. We are all working side by side to accomplish the same mission. While our sense of purpose gives us a particularly strong common bond, we each have different skills and talents. And we are plugging those abilities in to the same engine that drives the largest leadership organization for girls.

Lately I've been contemplating differences. They give us flavor in our relationships ... and headaches, too. As a professional Girl Scout, I work side by side with some of the most interesting people I have ever met. They give flavor in the workplace ... and headaches, too!


Is that bad to say? Or just honest? I think if we all admit it, our working relationships can be strained and it can sometimes make completing a mission difficult.

Oftentimes, all I need is a word picture to get a bigger picture. When differences seem to get in the way, my goal is to back up and take a look at the bigger picture. We're in the same toolbox. Sure, we are each fit for different roles. But when it comes down to it, we're not as different as we think! Each one of us is here to make a difference, and together we can do it.

Girly, Girly Group Hugs!

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Girl Scout Friends

The girls are now Junior Girl Scouts ... and the relationships that have been built over the last 3 years in this troop are deepening as they grow older. Shy gigglers have turned into screaming huggers. And even though most of these girls haven't seen each other over the summer, they come together like they haven't missed a beat.

I'm amazed by the sense of purpose that is beginning to develop. Girl Scouts isn't just something fun to do with others, they are asking about who they are going to help this year. Their brainstorming was fun to watch as they all had more ideas than we could possibly enact to make the world a better place.

Their cheers, their laughter, their smiles, their friendships ... little do they know that these moments are building relationships that may stand the test of time.

This spring, a volunteer shared how meaningful she realized her friendships through Girl Scouting had become. Her husband passed away, and when it came time to celebrate the life he lived with a memorial service, she turned and saw face after Girl Scout face in the crowd. Tears came to her eyes as she told the story. And they came to mine, too.

What an enduring treasure, these Girl Scout friends!

Working Luxuries

My daughter is ill ... so I feel a little guilty for it being the reason I can enjoy working luxuries. I am spoiled rotten after several days of stovetop Italian espresso in Riomaggiore this past spring. Coffee in the workplace is no longer up to my "coffee snob" standards, so I have been suffering. But today I indulge! I have my favorite coffee, my favorite attire (PJs!), and most of all my favorite little girl in the next room.

Meanwhile, I get to be a work-a-holic for an organization I love (you would laugh to see my desk at this moment - one desktop, one laptop, one BlackBerry all in use simultaneously - regretfully lacking the cameras I left in my office to work with today) in the comfort of my own home ... for today.

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