Here we are.

The doors open tomorrow.

Last night we put art on the wall, stocked the fridge and checked the temperature, filled our cabinets, arranged furniture, cleaned, cleaned and cleaned some more. We ate, we drank, we toasted to our progress and to our vision. We reflected on how far we have come in such a short time and we choked down that lump in our throat to shed a tear.

I recently attended a workshop in which we were supposed to sum up our business as if it were a “Twitter” headline. Meaning, if you were to have a split second to shake someone’s hand and introduce your business, what would you say in only one breath? Basically a one liner; the opening act to an elevator pitch. You know...if you were stuck in an elevator with someone for a short ride up a few floors, what would you say to make them remember you even after they stepped out and you stayed in? I didn’t like this exercise. It made me uncomfortable. Not really uncomfortable I guess…that may be the wrong word. Unsettled? Some sort of disarray? Realistically it’s probably more like a vexation. For some reason, it irritated me.

It’s like being asked to sum up your child in a sentence. There’s just no way.

As my mind filled with words I wanted to pour onto the page like and overflowing cup of coffee, under the title “THE UNION KNOT” I somehow found my pencil writing the words “bringing out the special moments in life”. I thought it summed up what we do perfectly. It seemed to bring down and anchor all the words in my head about being in the very heart of one of the most precious, unforgettable moments of a complete strangers life. If this was school and I was being graded, I probably would have got a “D” because, even though I showed up and was participating, I somehow missed the mark according to my teacher (uhhhh, I mean the presenter). The room was left confused and still wondering what is is that we do. It wasn’t descriptive enough I guess. But you know what? Here’s a little tid bit about me: That IS me!! I am that girl who, while in the elevator, I actually say that “one liner” that’s a little blurry. The one that has you confused. And while I’m shaking your hand and looking you straight in the eyes, I flash that smirky little smile that makes you remember me. Even if you can’t remember what is is that I said I do, you remember ME. Guaranteed that when someone starts talking about getting married or about finding a salon to host a class, your subconscious will remember that girl in the elevator and say “you know...I think I may know someone…” Now, don’t get me wrong here; I’m not sitting on my high horse saying that I’m an amazingly unforgettable rock star and I’m the best in all the land. No. Not by a long shot. What I AM saying is simply this: there are some things in life that you will come across that are more than what meets the eye. The socks with a mission, the shoes with purpose, the toothbrush with an objective, the jewelry with a passion. The socks may be just ok but you buy them to help the homeless and the people who are pounding the street to make a difference. The jewelry may not be super fancy or your typical style but you buy it supporting the lady who walks the sideline of the ocean every single day, picking up trash by the truck full and turning it into something beautiful. Ask those people for a “Twitter line”.

As we open the doors, remember these things:

We are the people behind the name.

The ones who are behind the awkward, questionable one liner.

We are the people who are “bringing out the special moments in life”.

We are The Union Knot.

Do you ever wonder what it would be like if you would have done something different in one specific moment in time? Think back…would you be a different person if you had moved when you were 9? If you decided to try out for the musical? Or focused more on grades than sports? Maybe you could have married someone different, had you given that boy/girl (who had a major crush on you) a chance. What about if you had followed your heart and done something creative in college instead of what paid better. Or maybe you got a dog/cat. What if you traveled more? Or maybe took a different job? Or maybe you went ahead and had another baby? So many moments in life, monumental or insignificant, could have completely changed our path had we chose differently.

Had. We. Chose. Differently.

I am a believer in life. And life is funny.

I believe that we all have choices. Sometimes in life, we find ourselves in a moment where we have complete control. We can make obvious choices. “I like the blue one. Oh, no thank you I’m full. Sure I’ll help. I don’t feel like going out tonight. I’ll take the chicken please. Yes, I can wait. I better put on a coat. I’m going to bed early. I’ll take the one on the end.” There are a lot of choices that lead to a pretty easy decision. “Do you want fries with that?” A direct question in which we are allowed to make an instantaneous decision. Most of time, no one is forcing us to take the fries. It’s a choice. Do we want them or not. Yes or no. Then there comes the moments in life where we may make a choice but we don’t get to choose. Moments such as having a baby. You might ‘choose’ to have a baby, but you don’t get to choose what KIND of baby. Will it be a girl or a boy?...will it enter the world chubby or not so chubby?...bald or born with lots of hair?....How will it’s voice sound when it starts to talk? Will this baby be born fearless and wild or soft spoken and sweet natured? Some choices are beyond us. But we still have the choice of how to handle what has been given to us. Being forced to move is a good one. That may not be a good situation but choosing to handle it with grace and a positive outlook helps to see it as a new adventure. This is completely different than choosing to not accept what has caused these circumstances, which usually ends in a negative snowball of stress and anxiety and a downhill slope of catastrophes. You see where I’m going with this?

I think that, sometimes through our choices, we find ourselves.

Take, for example, my choice to become a stylist. Now, keep in mind that I did not always want to be a cosmetologist. It’s definitely not one of those things that I had been dreaming of ever since I was a little girl. No. I wanted to be a teacher for the longest time. (SO happy that I didn’t do that! I grew up, had two children of my own and realized that I don’t really care for other people’s children. Lol. Although, I wouldn’t mind teaching/running a beauty school some day but that’s entirely different.) What changed my mind was...as I was coming to my senses and realizing that I didn’t want to teach, I asked myself what it was that I really wanted to do. You know what my answer was? My answer was: a mom. I knew that I wanted kids. I always knew that I wanted to be a mom. But guess what...being a mom doesn’t pay. (and, omg, before you jump all in here with the “stay at home/work from home, network marketing, crafty/diy/etsy make stuff and sell it” craziness....that’s totally not what I’m talking about here. I am definitely a supporter of all of that. But thats not what I'm referring to in this moment) I wanted a job that I could work, be happy and enjoy what I was doing, and be able to still spend time with my family. I wanted a job that I could make my own schedule so that I didn’t have to put my kids in daycare all day and a job that I could watch my kids play sports. I wanted a job that I could attend band and choir concerts as they got older and a job that I could take family vacations and not have to worry about who would cover my shift or if I had enough PTO. That’s when I decided to go to beauty school. I figured that, anywhere I went in life, I would have a job. No matter my marital status, if/when/how many kids I did or didn’t have, where I ended up living, how much I wanted to work, how much I wanted to make...it wouldn't matter. I would always have a job. So that’s what I did. I went to beauty school. It was a choice. I chose to do that.

Little did I know, that by making that choice, I was surrendering to something greater than myself. I am a firm believer that when you let go and fully surrender, you will find your place in life. Even if that place is just for the time being.

I may have chose this path but this career chose me.

I can’t explain the feeling of finding your place in life. I can only hope that you can experience that for yourself at some point. I love what I do and I love the people I get to encounter every day in this industry. Do I get burnt out? Absolutely. Do I sometimes think about just saying “screw it” and learning to bartend? Sometimes. For half a second. Until I realize that I make just as much money without having to deal with drunk people. But for real...I’m lucky. And I know that. And I’m thankful for that.

Don’t get me wrong, this career comes with its own set of sacrifices FOR SURE!! But I think that, for the most part, I’ve handled it pretty well. So far anyway. (ha!) I’m excited to see what the future holds because it’s far from over. I feel it deep down in my belly...that fire is brewin’.

Now I’m no motivational speaker. I’m not a life coach or a mentor or any sort of career guru but I’m gonna leave you with this:

Think long and hard about the person you want to become and make a choice to become that person. Take that path. It may lead you exactly where you hoped it would, the path you intentionally set out on. Then again, it may take you so off course that it leads you to exactly where you are supposed to be. Either way...embrace it. Life is beautiful. It’s a crazy, messy, beautiful thing and if you open your eyes, you might just catch a glimpse. And believe me...you don't wanna miss it.

~ Katie