May 1, 1993 started as an ordinary day; I was 18 years old, in my first year of college, second season of rugby. I was just getting into my college groove; navigating my studies, sports and extra-curricular social time. I started figuring out who I was becoming.
My teammates and I were bearing the cold Minnesota spring weather on a typical Saturday on the rugby pitch. We were muddy, bruised and victorious - looking forward to the post-match party crammed in the basement with all the players from the tournament.
That is when the ordinary day turned unexpected...
Later that evening, I met a rugger from the men’s team [actually, it was his house where the party took place]. Immediately, I fell in love with his beautiful smile and quick wit. We spent the rest of the night in a quiet corner, getting to know each other. I consider this day as one of the few days I can pinpoint that changed the trajectory of my life.
That is when the unexpected day turned significant...
We all have days in our life that start out as ordinary. Ordinary days can sometimes become a blur from one to the next. Then suddenly, the unexpected happens. The day completely knocks us off course. An unexpected day can give us pause, or suddenly turn into a significant day. An unexpected day can change everything.
We also have the power to make the unexpected happen in our day. We can try new activities, look for different opportunities and explore additional avenues. This can give us a fresh perspective and teach us something new about ourselves. When the unexpected day happens, what we do with it is truly up to us.
You never know, you could be celebrating the unexpected day decades later. I’m lucky, I get to celebrate May 1 with the man I fell in love with on my unexpected day.
KerryOn Questions
- What has been an unexpected day in your life?
- In what ways has this unexpected day become significant to you?
- How can you continue to create future unexpected days?
The Kerry behind KerryOn
My name is Kerry K. Fierke, Ed.D. (pron. Fear-Key) I have a unique combination of skills and experience – decades of fast-paced corporate experience in Fortune 100 companies and large health care organizations, combined with the academic rigor of a highly ranked research university. My focus is supporting others to create their own path to leadership development, lifelong learning, and a unique leadership legacy. Take a moment to focus on leadership, then KerryOn!
To see all KerryOn's and other leadership stuff, visit www.kerrykfierke.com.
Such an adorable story!