Meet Darlene.

We met on the airplane, on the way to the blogging conference I’m at this week. When I boarded the plane and went to find my seat, there was Darlene, right next to me. I had a hunch she was headed to the blogging conference, so I asked and by golly, I was right!

Darlene is owner, interior designer and blogger at Fieldstone Hill Design. Little did I know, I’d sat down next to a conference speaker! Darlene is slated to speak TODAY on the topic “You are a Master Designer: Finding Your Personal Style.” Wish the woman well, will you?! And by the way, she has a master’s degree in OPERA performance. Talk about a fascinating woman, right?

Darlene and I chatted non-stop, from the second I sat down until we picked up our luggage at baggage claim. (And we’ve connected at the conference a few times since we arrived.) Let me tell you, there’s something special about this woman. In the not-so-quiet rumbling of the little plane that took us from Charlotte, North Carolina, to Greenville, South Carolina, we shared our God-sized dreams, the secrets of our hearts, with one another. Don’t ask me exactly WHY I trusted and connected with this woman quite literally out of the gates, but I did. I saw her heart, and I’m pretty sure she saw mine, too.

So I asked Darlene one question. “If you didn’t have to worry about money, what would you do with your life?”

This was her response.

Darlene would live a whole lot of love if she didn’t have to worry about money.

1) When it comes to her husband and three children, They’d “all be together all the time as a family.”

2) She’d travel with her family, see the world, and “let the world be our educational oyster.” Darlene would specifically love to travel to Italy, Switzerland, Hawaii, Tahiti, and Brazil. She’d definitely bring her kids, but would also bring a nanny along so they’d be free to go out for date nights and enjoy a little adult time together. (I hear ya, girl!)

3) Darlene would “decorate her house exactly as [she] wants to.” Even though she’s an interior designer and could do it herself, she might even hire someone to help.

4) Darlene would keep homeschooling, but would “hire more tutors” for her kids.

5) She’d set regular spa appointments and would “definitely add that into her life more.”

6) And Darlene would “give without limits.” She’d love to do some “audacious giving” as she felt led. (Yet another reason I love this woman.)

So what can we learn from Darlene?

Darlene and I connected. I mean really connected. We had a 30-40 minute plane ride to converse, so my interview with Darlene was longer than any other this month. We had time to engage in deep and meaningful ways. And there was conversation beyond “the question of the month.”

One thing I’ve learned and will be expanding on as I wrap the 31 Days series later this week, is that we need TIME with people. We need TIME to hear people out. We need TIME together, in community, if we want to arrive at a place of vulnerability. If we really want to share our hearts, support, and encourage others in their lives and dreams, we must have TIME to pour into their stories.

Thank you, Darlene, for reminding me of this beautiful truth. All of you, the whole of you, is beautiful. Thank you for sharing your dreams, for letting me enter in to your private and vulnerable spaces. I’m the lucky girl who just happened to get a seat next to you on the plane. Thank you for your love, and for inviting me in to the beautifully designed home of your heart.

Today I want to challenge you. Who have you been vulnerable with lately? Find an opportunity and open up, just a little. You might just be pleasantly surprised at the outcome.  

 

 

 

*This post is a part of a month-long 31 Days series titled Dreams from the Street. If you’d like to read more from my series, click here and you’ll be brought to the series landing page where all 31 posts are listed and linked! You can follow me on Twitter at twitter.com/AmyBPederson where I’ll tweet links to all 31 posts using hashtag #write31days, and I’d LOVE to connect on Facebook at facebook.com/AmyBPederson! I’m so glad you stopped by. Make yourself comfortable and take a peek around the place. You’re welcome back anytime.