The Unknown Path Can Bring You the Greatest Blessings.

First let’s give it up to Facebook for bringing us memories to see. Today’s Memories remind me of how far I have come, and what I have gained from having the will to say yes to an opportunity that would take me into the unknown.

3 years ago today was the opening of Johnny Was Austin with my amazing partner Amy.

And it just so happened that I got to spend a wonderful 3 days with her in our training here in LA. Prior to our wonderful retail partnership, we had never met in person and only spoke twice over the phone. I since have moved back to LA, and she is still in Austin. However, Amy has grown into that friend that no matter how long our conversations go in between; when we get a chance to talk via phone or see one another once a year at a management-training seminar, we are able to pick up where we left off. She has become one of those friends that I confide in when I need to get back to rational thinking and I Love her dearly.

In addition, Amy and I got the opportunity to work with this construction company called Integrity, based out of Axtell, Ne.

I was born and raised in the city of North Platte, Nebraska and I graduated from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln.

I had taken photos to post on Facebook and tagged Integrity’s owner, AJ in them. That tag must had popped up something that would cause me to ‘like’ on a complete stranger’s page. Yet, in that small world instance, this sweet message appeared on my page from a woman named Teresa.

Hi Gina! I'm from little old Minden NE! I saw your "like " and thought I could figure out who you were. I don't usually friend to many I don't know. But the North Platte NE got me. My stepdaughter and husband and 2 granddaughters live there.

So I hope you don't mind if I peek in on your page. It’s so interesting and a whole different world outside of NE. Right now I'm working on some up do styles for classes and working towards hair show.

I've had a salon for many years.

The guy in your cover photo looks like someone I know. Is that A.J. Dahlgren? If not then he has a twin. Nice to meet you! Teresa Burgess Sumstine

I now consider Teresa a dear friend and entrust her to do my hair when I go back to visit Nebraska.

And the small world introductions would continue through AJ’s family.

His mother Jill, who has become such a special woman and friend in my life, worked with my cousin Eva. And AJ did business with the husband of another woman Julie, who I had met in Los Angeles at a woman’s spiritual event 3 years prior. Now mind you, I left Nebraska in 1989 after I graduated from college, and AJ grew up in a town about 113 miles away from me. We are about 11 years apart so what are the chances that we would have this connection in Austin, TX and have a circle of similar friends? You can call it fate or even divine timing. I have stopped trying to figure out the why and instead hold near and dear gratitude for what this experience has brought into my life. It has brought beautiful souls who I might have never met if I had stayed living in Nebraska nor got the courage to move out of my not so comfortable, complacent way of living in LA.

And the experience of meeting AJ also gave me the inspiration to write and publish two books of poetry and I now add the title of Author to my resume.

As my clarity grows larger, my world becomes so much smaller, and I don’t take my connections to people for granted. I finally got to meet Jill and AJ’s uncle Frank in person on my visit to Nebraska last month. We talked for a couple of hours and the conversation and laughter flowed so easily as If I had known them my entire life.

Over these past six years, life might not have given me everything I have wanted, but it has certainly greeted me with great opportunities and people who have made a significant and positive impact on my life. And for that, I am truly blessed.