​I was standing in line at Chipotle, waiting my turn to place my order. No matter what time I go, there always seems to be a line. The man in front of me had a list and was ordering meals to-go for his entire family.  When he got to the register, he looked over at me and told the cashier, “Add her meal to my bill.”
 
I immediately said, “That’s so nice of you, but you don’t have to do that.” He replied, “I want to. Sorry for the extra wait.” I was still in shock, but thanked him, and walked out the door with a smile on my face and my free Chipotle dinner in hand.
 
This complete stranger had no idea of the long day that I had, but because of his random act of kindness, I ended that day feeling joyful. 

​“It’s a beautiful day in this neighborhood. A beautiful day for a neighbor. Would you be mine? Could you be mine?” Anytime I hear these song lyrics, a smile comes across my face, and I immediately picture Fred Rogers putting on a red sweater and changing into his sneakers. And for some reason, I always feel a sense of peace and comfort. 
 
I grew up watching Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. At the time, I didn’t realize how much of an impact this show would have on me...or the rest of the world. For 31 seasons, Fred Rogers invited us into his neighborhood. 

​My mom retired after 35 years of being an elementary teacher. As she was ending her teaching career, I was beginning mine. I loved sharing teaching stories with my mom. She could relate to what I was going through, and on those really tough days and weeks, I always felt better after talking with my mom.
 
Unfortunately, a few years after my mom retired, she passed away. I expected holidays and birthdays to be hard without her. What caught me by surprise, though, is how much I missed her as I drove to school. And at the beginning of each new school year, waves of grief would roll in and out.
 
Now, I anticipate the waves, and instead of them overtaking me, I ride them out. As I drive to school each day, I welcome the childhood memories that come to mind....

Years ago, when I was going through a leadership training, part of the training required us to take the Myers-Briggs personality test.  Through this test, I discovered that I am an ISFJ: The Nurturer.

I wasn’t sure what that meant, but when I read the description I was surprised at how well it described me. And for the first time, I realized that as an introvert, I have just as much to offer the world as an extrovert. I no longer saw being an introvert as a weakness, but a strength. As a quiet observer, I often pick up on subtle non-verbal cues, and I can usually sense how others are feeling.  
 
I’ve known for years that I am an ISFJ, but several months ago I heard about something called the Enneagram. According to the Enneagram, an ancient personality tool, there are 9 different personality types. Knowing your personality type will help you understand why you think, feel, and behave in certain ways. 

​Here’s a fun infographic about the Enneagram:

​At 2:30 a.m. my alarm went off. After only 3 hours of sleep, it was a struggle to open my eyes and roll out of bed, but I kept telling myself, “It will all be worth it at the end of the day.”
 
My friend and I had been planning a trip to the Grand Canyon, and a 6 a.m. direct flight meant we would have the whole day to explore the area. We would just need lots of caffeine to help us stay awake.
 
Even though it was a 4 hour flight, because of the change in time zones, we landed in Phoenix at 7:05 a.m. With Starbucks in hand, we picked out a rental car and began the 4-hour drive to the Grand Canyon.