Had I not gone in to ask a question...
Again ones choices seem to be highlighted. Those crazy instances where you take the long way home and something happens. Unexpected, yes.... good or bad.... it doesn't matter, the fact is the decisions you've made that day have lead you to a moment. Some times you are aware of the significance and other times you are not....
needless to say, I left in tears.
I don't know what she saw in me... or if she does this for all of her students... but I will be forever grateful for her willingness to share some thoughts. These thoughts were not of the normal student professor nature, it was fundamentally different. Her disclosure contained no answers, and yet I left her office with a whole new outlook, and the courage to move forward. She told me I was going to be OK, and "where I am" is right where I need to be.
I wish I had a recording of this conversation.... I knew what she was saying was important. So important that the moment I made if home I wrote down notes. She talked of grace...being a good person...the work that you do does not define what kind of a person you are... the doughnut man... the person you are will follow you... that happiness matters... she said many more things that I wish I could remember.