Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.
Upon awakening, it was my birthday, the morning of June 17th, 2020. Crusty-eyed and still yawning there it was plastered across my bathroom mirror.
“Any Person Can Describe Who They Claim to Be but Evidence of Actions Provides the Truth of Who We Really Are”
– Author, My Dad
I hurried downstairs, note in hand. “Dad, what does this mean”? He replied, “I want you to create a website about you, but there’s a challenge”. “What challenge, I asked”? He replied, “ Content Brooke, you need real content backed by long-term execution. He calls this “The Evidence” which equals Authenticity. Making certain that my public and private life match up while accumulating real-life skills over time through on-the-job training.
I was only fifteen, but I knew now was the time to begin my preparedness. As a fifteen-year-old girl, I lacked confidence in many ways. First, who am I? Social media confused me and seemed to want to define me. Second, what value could an employer ever appreciate in me? Instagram and Tick Tock made it appear as if everyone was perfect, so I played along, pretending I had it all figured out. But there was my dad’s note, playing over in my head.
So, I immediately immersed myself in five different purposeful jobs, beginning to accumulate what I thought was “The Evidence” my dad so wanted. Brooke the Barista, @ The Corner – communications, organization, and money management skills. Brooke the Store Manager, Rachel’s Consignment – inventory controls, reconciliation reports, customer service skills. Brooke the Ski Instructor, Mohawk Mountain– Instructing young children and lesson planning skills. Brooke the Art Gallery Worker- has interpersonal skills and Brooke the Baby- and House-Sitter – child and home care services, is highly organized and has follow-through skills.
For the past three years, I was out there getting “The Evidence” puffing up my accomplishments so I could have my dad’s brag sheet and approval. No doubt I accomplished a lot by his standards. But what I discovered was that these skills didn’t bring a smile to my face. Just like social media, not everything is what we think it really is. Buy this, be happy, look like that, feel more confident, act like this, be more popular. Sure, my dad was correct that having these skills is necessary in the world we live in but that’s not what fulfilled me. What was it that made me happy?
Initially, I made it all about how many skills I could list on my common application, I made the jobs and the accumulation of achievements about me. Like people trying to accumulate more stuff. The more stuff a person accumulates, are they happier? There’s nothing wrong with wanting to better oneself academically, socially, spiritually, and otherwise but nothing takes the place of making others feel valued.
The smile I create on someone’s face as their Barista when I make a latte with their favorite design or just sharing 5 minutes of listening to a story about their grandchild. The pretty dress from Rachel’s Consignment I help select for that woman who can’t afford nice attire while telling her how beautiful she looks. Instructing that child at Mohawk Ski Mountain who can’t keep up with the other kids as I help her ski faster. Selecting that special piece of artwork for that family who wants to make that empty wall more inspiring, that’s fulfillment for me, making others feel appreciated and valued.
So, I met with my dad on Sunday, September 3rd, 2023, and made him his favorite latte as I watched him smile and said, “Dad, I have the evidence”. As I explained my journey to him his eyes welled up with tears and said, “Brooke, I think I need some of that evidence in my own life”, he kissed my cheek, got up, and left, as I returned to my barista station creating more smiles. www.brookelacilla.com