Don’t Look For This

June 24, 2021

At brunch about a decade ago, I saw what I wanted out of life.

My aunt, Geggy, was mid-story when her coffee arrived. Uncle Charley poured in sugar and milk and placed the mug in front of her without saying a word. Geggy sipped and continued her story, coffee clearly prepared exactly to her liking.

Throughout Geggy and Uncle Charley’s visit, I watched moments of ease and connection that demonstrated the mutual respect and love I wanted in a life partner. 

After the trip, I wrote my aunt and uncle a letter about how much I admired their relationship and saw it as a model.

Geggy called to thank me for the note and also to share a warning, “Don’t look for what we have. You’ll never find it.”

Geggy and Uncle Charley on their wedding day

They’d been married for approximately twice as long as I’d been alive at that time. If I expected to find what they’d created over 50 years, she told me, I’d inevitably be disappointed.

“I left him three times in the first year of marriage,” she laughed.

That depth of connection and ease I witnessed was a product of the time and investment they’d made in one another. There’s no way I’d find it on a first date.

As my business continues to evolve, (exciting updates coming soon!) I'm striving to have patience with the journey. Rather than pushing myself to a destination, I want to enjoy the process of discovery.

On my May calendar I wrote, “Space and Grace” -- a note of encouragement and exploration. 

Recognizing my impatience, this month I wrote, “Yes, Leels, still more Space and Grace.”

Still, I’m impatient. I want to get to the big reveal, to the exciting chance to share with y’all the things I’ve been working on these last few months, the culmination of these last few years.

If I learned anything from Geggy, it’s that I can’t expect things to happen instantaneously, even when I’d really like them to.

Beautiful, powerful things take time.