April, August, and December are months when I lock down my speaking engagement calendar. I try not to make any contractual obligations to keep my days open for catching up on things. Well, I did LOTS of catching up and making connections in August.
I connected with my friend Dylan Rafaty as he launched his “Let’s Work Inclusively” podcast. It aired on August 21, so check it out. Dylan is doing big things, and I appreciated being asked to be his first guest.
Catching up with our terrific summer interns over lunch at Ocean Prime was a delicious treat. I’m so proud of Sydney and Charlie and delighted with their contributions to Marshalling Resources this summer. They made us better.
A few new friendships were formed in August, including befriending the wonderful people at JUMP- the Justice and Upward Mobility Project. I was honored to interview Larry Miller and support the NBA Social Justice Coalition in the Seat at the Table event in Cleveland, Ohio. The Lord blessed me to get through the week, even though I was recovering from a cold.
I caught up with some of my legal lady friends on four separate occasions. Fundraisers, lunches, dinners…so fun! And spending time with my For Oak Cliff friends at their Back-to-School festival was a joyful experience. It is truly a one-of-a- kind community event. I love to see people hyped about education. The honeys left the festival with the resources needed for a successful school year.
I ended up with a few speaking commitments because sometimes I can’t resist the opportunity to speak life into our youth. Being the convocation keynote speaker at Paul Quinn College and announcing the Mavs LISTEN (leadership, innovation, sports management, technology, entrepreneurship, and networking) Major was a highlight of the summer. It was so great to see so many fabulous Dallas Mavericks staff members who are serious about making a difference in our communities.
I caught up with one of my NBA mom friends in New York at a fun Women’s Roundtable and golf clinic event. It’s always so uplifting when the sisterhood gets together. During our golf clinic, we invented soccer putting. At some point when the ball was not going in the hole, we started hitting to each other. Innovation at its finest! Our team beat the hole. In fact, it never saw us again.
I mentored, poured into management teams via my corporate boards, contributed time and thought leadership to new initiatives, and helped plan the upcoming Dallas CASA patron party. It feels great to have time to help others launch great projects that are truly divinely inspired.
I caught up with my writing accomplice. Her two-day visit to Dallas was quite productive. We worked like crazy on the outline for my next book. The overview and sample chapter will be submitted to my literary agent TODAY! More updates to come over the next few months.
August ended on a sobering note and a reminder that life is fragile and finite. Four people who are close to me are battling Stage 4 cancer. I’m thankful that Kenny and I were able to spend time with ALL of them. We hosted two of them on separate occasions in our home and saw the other two during a 40-hour whirlwind trip to CA. Sometimes, you just know when it’s time to offer some face-to-face support to the patient and their caregivers. It was worth experiencing sleep deprivation. We’re caught up now!
Finally, it was glorious to catch up with many friends as we paid tribute to “the Congresswoman,” Eddie Bernice Johnson. Witnessing the unveiling of the highway sign that bears her name was a sight to remember. WHAT A LEGACY! My buddy, Dale Petroskey, said it best: “EBJ was a connector.” The Eddie Bernice Johnson Memorial Highway will connect communities as she did. May we all commit to being “connectors” by reaching out, bringing people and things together, and joining forces for good.
Let’s connect more than dots for people. Let’s engage in some meaningful change for people and make their lives better.
Insight: Catch up. Make connections. Join forces for good.