Not too long after my best friend got married, I was telling
a colleague over lunch about my dream to “one day” open a Bed & Breakfast.
She gave the standard, “You should – you’d be so good at
that!” response, and then took it one step further. She told me about an essay
writing contest where the prize was a B&B and Country Inn in Maine.
I entered that contest.
Remember how I said, “It all started when my best friend was
living in England…” (if not read about it in my first blog post)
Well, as true as that it, it is also true that you could say
it all started when I was six, living next door to a completely different best
friend.
Even though I didn’t win the essay contest (spoiler alert!)
entering was still probably the first concrete step I took – really putting
effort, energy, and money into the universe in pursuit of this dream of mine.
Here’s the essay I submitted (it had a 200 word limit):
“Breakfast
is served!” my six-year-old self announced once again, carrying a tray of food
into my parents' bedroom.
From those humble beginnings came a lifelong pursuit of
hospitality. My early desire to serve others, paired with a love of
organization and efficiency, has shaped my personal and professional decisions
over the years. My professional experiences in hospitality and logistics
complement my genuine love of people and prepare me well to own and run a
Country Inn.
Perhaps the most
important lessons I’ve learned are how to be willing to do what it takes to
make things run smoothly (no task is too small to be done with care!) and how
important it is to surround yourself with people who have the same commitment
to excellence.
I want to own and operate the Country Inn so I can
apply these life lessons and touch people's lives, bring a smile after a long
drive, serve hungry travelers a worthy meal, and give the gift of reprieve to
all who come – be their stay short or long.
