Growing up, my parents were fans of John Denver. So many of those songs bring a great feeling of nostalgia — Poems, Prayers and Promises; Sunshine on my Shoulder; and, of course, Country Roads. That song has been a thread woven throughout my life since childhood. In elementary school, my neighbor and friend sang Country Roads —-backwards — as her talent in her school’s show. And this past weekend, my family traveled to attend my oldest stepdaughter Rachel’s graduation from West Virginia University (WVU) where she has happily been a Mountaineer for the last four years studying criminology and forensic science.
At her high school graduation, Rachel decorated her cap with sunflowers and wrote on it “Country Roads Take Me Home.” On Sunday, her cap, again with sunflowers, sported the words “Country Roads Took Me Home.” The song has beautiful lyrics, not just about the Blue Ridge Mountains and Shenandoah River, but about going home to where you belong.
Home is not just an address or town, but a state of mind — where you feel at your best, where you are inspired. And, it can be where you work and have grown your career, built friendships and connections. It has been moving seeing each of our kids in their element and among friends made for a lifetime.
The last four months have been a whirlwind of travel for our team here at FCW. So much so, that I have experienced those brief moments where I’m unsure what hotel I’m staying in or what day of the week it is. At the same time, the shows, events, conferences are my work home — where I gain inspiration and connect closely with friends and leaders throughout the industry. Their passion is contagious and I always return to New York filled with ideas and information.
Indeed, even when I feel a bit beat up by the road — canceled flights, super long days, weekends and back to back trips — I’m never sorry I committed to attend. Each moment brings connectivity and a deeper understanding of the different nuances within the flooring covering industry — I love the opportunity to learn and expand my perspective.
Watching another class of students launch into the world can provide a touch of insight. Commencements tend to be a bit emotional as the speakers strive to inspire the graduates. WVU’s president encouraged students to, no matter how they felt, “get up, dress up and show up.” He also pointed out that the student body excelled through the extreme situation brought on by the global pandemic teaching them lessons in the face of adversity. And, he talked about seeking passion over paycheck. (I’d like to think you can achieve both.)
This graduation marked the third of four in our blended family — all have been held on Mother’s Day. While day-long road trips don’t necessarily sound like the most ideal way to spend the holiday, I’ll take eight hours in the car with my kids eating snacks, listening to music, being silly and the time celebrating each of their achievements any day. It fills my heart to see each of them set off on their independent life — building their career, making their home — it’s worth “getting up, getting dressed and showing up.”
For these college kids, it’s not just what they learned in the classroom but what they learned about themselves and identifying the path they want to take. While graduation marks the end of their undergraduate career, it really is more of a beginning and identifying the road they want to take; what will be home for them.
The WVU graduation ceremony ended appropriately with all the faculty and graduates on their feet singing along to “Country Roads.” “Country roads, take me home to the place I belong.” It’s my wish that all of the kids graduating this May find the road that takes them home to a place where they will thrive and a career that will fill them up each day. Perhaps some will find their home here in the industry that might just be the best kept secret — floor covering. I hope so!
Stay safe. Stay inspired.