A Journey of Passion and Purpose – hey there, lovely souls! I’m BJ and I’m beyond thrilled to share a little piece of my world with you. So, grab a cozy seat, and let me take you on a journey through my life – a journey filled with passion, purpose, and a whole lot of heart.
My grandparents on both sides of the family were immigrants coming through Ellis Island. My Mother was the outgoing vibrant one. The world loved my mother and she loved the world, She never had an unkind word about anyone. My Dad’s parents came from England so he was very conservative with a great, dry sense of humor. He was a depression era baby so hard work was instilled in him and passed down to his family. He was in WWII in the 10th Mountain Division. The 10th Mountain Division fought in the Italian Alps on skies. Try that carrying a Bazooka.
A Journey – Where it Began
I am the youngest of three girls. I am on the left, very pregnant, the eldest sister (5.5 years older) is in the middle and my middle sister (18 months older) is on the right. Wherever my eldest sister went, I wanted to go too. I was a real nuisance but she had such patience. I spent more time with my middle sister, we were so close in age so we often played together.
We grew up in a suburb on the East side of Cleveland where my middle sister remained. She was a theater costume designer. To my sadness, she passed away suddenly. One of the costumes she made was for the Cat in The Hat. The actor came to the funeral wearing the hat she designed. His words remain with me to this day, ” Don’t cry because it is over, smile because it happened.”
I Was The Dreamer
Growing up, I was always the dreamer, the one with a head full of ideas and a heart bursting with curiosity. And let me tell you, that curiosity took me to places I never imagined. From the bustling streets of the city to the serene countryside, each corner of the world had something new to teach me.
Between undergrad and graduate school, I was fortunate to travel to 11 different countries in Europe visiting East Berlin when the wall was still up and Czechoslovakia right after the Russians invaded Prague. All the wonderful people I met during my travels; whether it be the Students in Yugoslavia trying to convince them that the government didn’t buy my clothes, to the West Berliners so grateful to America for literally saving them by air dropping food water and essentials so they would survive; I realized we are all the same and want all the same things. It was a wonderful education and I returned home a real flag waiver!
More Of My Story – A Journey of Passion and Purpose
But amidst the chaos and the calm, there was always one constant – my love for storytelling. Whether it was through words, music, or art, I found solace in the rhythm of stories, the magic of narratives that connected hearts across oceans and time.
My career has been quite the adventure as well. From Regional Marketing Program Manager at IBM, Where I met my husband, to crunching numbers as a CFO to steering the ship as a CEO, I’ve sailed through different sectors of the corporate realm. After chasing the proverbial carrot, I realized my greatest accomplishment – our Family.
Family
I have two absolutely perfect children (in my eyes) a girl, the oldest and a boy my baby and my wonderful husband who is truly the greatest salesman I have ever known. He is a veteran with the Air Force during the Viet Nam War, but as luck would have it, he served his time in Las Vegas at Nellis Air force Base. I think because we were older when we had our children, he turned out to be a great father as well. We never missed an event – from hockey, to soccer to theater performances. We also traveled a great deal and always brought the kids. At one point in time I began to think we worshiped the mouse, going to Disney World so much. I am truly blessed but even more so now having a grandson – the absolute love of my life!
Where has the time gone? The age old question from us Seniors. My daughter calls me “one of the olds.” Yet, there is a disconnect with the person I see in the mirror and my mind. I feel so fortunate to have had such wonderful parents, that I found the perfect mate after 44 years and he still makes me laugh, children that are supportive – what else could I ask for? More grandchildren!
I’m On To A New Adventure
Now I’ve stumbled into a new opportunity with like minded people who want to help as many people as they can. In this day and age, where do you see this? I’ve opened up a door that is interconnected. Through my varied rolls, I’ve honed skills essential for getting things done – building strong relationships, seeing projects through from start to finish, and above all, helping others achieve their aspirations. I don’t feel like I am starting all over but continuing on. I continue to dream big and hope you do as well.
Response Magic