Potential is a big topic with me. So big that I thought a second Potential blog so close to the last one was necessary. March has been a big shout out to so many amazing women. Each of these women has affected my life deeply, helped shape my world view and my sense of self more than any professor, influencer, or parent ever did, but there is one in particular who fits so well with Renny Run, the one who has shown me that potential never expires. Her name is Marianne. She is a true late bloomer.
What strikes me most about her is her determination, her positive outlook and her humor. She survived a lonely childhood; yet, remains the funniest person I know. (As a little girl she once set her thumb on fire while playing with matches and steadfastly stuck to her story that she bumped into a tree despite third degree burns. You gotta love the commitment.) She survived abusive relationships (which she left), was a victim of a serious crime that caused years of PTSD only to learn much later that the crime was perpetrated by the man she loved who, by the way, has since become famous. You know who he is. It’s actually difficult for me not to out him. Moving on.
All she ever wanted was true love, a piece of land, and security. Not one to wallow, she got better with each set-back. She moved from job to job, searching for her right place, always falling back on her best talent—people and bartending. She had cash. She had fun. She had insurance! Then one day, she realized that she couldn’t do that forever. So, at 40, without hesitation, she decided to become a nurse. It took her 4 years. She found a job half-way across the country, then at 50, realized to really succeed as an RN she needed to get her master’s degree in Administration and Management. That took another 2. I was there for her graduation and it was the proudest moment in my life. (I guess she was proud too, but….anyway) She is now a department director at a swanky independent living facility, married to the right man, is raising cows, and dogs, and cats, and finally found her place in the world.
For anyone who thinks that they can’t reach for the life that they want once they hit a certain age, stop lying to yourself. It’s not easy, but what is? Marianne is living proof that potential knows no limits. She is the epitome of Renny. This woman knows how to work. She knows how to fight, and I so admire her self-possession, her courage, and her determination, that I just want to move in with her and bask in it. Bravo, Marianne. Bravo.
Check out 7 Famous Late Bloomers Who Prove There is no Deadline for Success. (this will be a live link)