A Short Trip in August – 8.27.22
We never know what might await us as we embark on journeys, even if the journey is a short business trip. This business trip would begin on a Wednesday morning, driving south through South Boston and Danville to Greensboro, where I would speak to a group of CFO’s before heading to Salisbury to have dinner with clients, and then driving the additional hour south to Charlotte, where I would spend some time with my good friend Pete. The trip would end on Friday with a client meeting in Asheville, North Carolina followed by a 7 hour drive back home.
On Thursday, while meeting with a client, the CEO asked if I would share a little of my story with one of her executive team members, who happened to be a black man sitting across the table from me. Having worked with him for the past two years, he struck me as a pleasant sort of fellow who was competent in his job. At this point, the rest of the executive team had left, leaving just the three of us in the room.
So, I shared. And then he shared. Because he is a black man and I am a white man, our stories and experiences are different, but they were also the same. I will never see Boris the same way again. And I am quite sure he will never see me the same way. And I am sure that is why the CEO wanted us to have that conversation. After the meeting he and I talked more about our common experiences. There are so many of us out there – feeling like we are impostors.
That evening Pete took his girlfriend and me to a jazz bar in Charlotte in which he is a part owner. The act that night was a large band that was going to play music that honored the great late funk singer and musician James Brown. To be honest, I would not call myself a lover of funk music. But that band had so much talent, energy and stage presence, that I became captivated. For two hours I lost myself in their music and energy. I laughed, I clapped, and when the lead singer sang “A Man’s World”, I cried. And then I danced.
The dancing just happened. People started getting up and dancing next to their tables. I did the same. And it felt good. Everyone seemed to be in a slightly altered state. I know I was. And it was magical. Sometimes we are fortunate to be a part of a collective emotional group experience that is beautiful. And it happened that evening.
I did not see that beautiful evening with my friends coming. It just happened with absolutely no expectation. And I did not see my experience earlier that day with Boris coming. So, we never know what can come to us and what awaits us if we just go out and take journeys.
The next morning I drove to my client meeting in Asheville. During the meeting I told them about the jazz club in Charlotte and the wonderful concert experience I had there. I even told them about my spontaneous urge to dance. The CFO, Allen, without missing a beat, said “That’s what the world needs right now – more people dancing.” Allen, I could not agree with you more….
