A nick here, a bruise there - the making of a life story

Any act of starting over carries incidentals.  There's friends, family and colleagues distributed throughout the world. There's the belongings you choose to keep or leave along the way.  After three relocations in five years in pursuit of new career opportunities and life experiences, our most treasured items have the nicks to prove they've traveled the road with us.

As my family recently packed up our "stuff" in preparation for our move back to New York City, I was reminded of how each chip carried stories from our lives. Our scratched dining room table a reminder of when my then two-year old would gleefully dig her fork into the wood next to her plate, at each and every meal time. Our cozy leather club chair which we've taken everywhere despite it not fitting in most of our living spaces.  Worn from travel and my daughter's climbing, the story-telling scuffs comfort me as I snuggle in for a good read.  And the tattered photos from my childhood in the Dominican Republic - images which instantly transport me to the warmth of the Caribbean sun and the island's rhythms.

On good days, I flow through my life route, the new and the old become one as I stretch my thinking, draw on what I've gained from failure, disappointment and success, connect with thoughtful people galvanizing change, and seamlessly weave together my accumulated knowledge.  On those days, I'm Boss! 

On challenging days, I take note to be grateful for all the scrapes and bruises, and lean on the lessons learned.

Today, as I begin the process of reintegrating people and pieces of my life back in NYC, I fondly remember the city where I was born and where a large part of my stateside family resides, met my love, built my tribe of inspiring friends, and gave birth to our magical daughter.  I also take a moment to vividly recall the city's fierceness - it gives and takes with equal force.

The becoming of me, me story, is a composite of experiences and relationships gained through known and unknown territories.  My scrapes and bruises are a reminder of where I've been and an unfinished roadmap of where I'm headed.  They help me embark on this next chapter with a beginner's mind, a sense of gratitude, and curiosity for what nicks I will collect next. What's your story?