Monday, April 29th, 2013

Dinnertime Inspiration

I grew up sharing the dinner table with my mother, a gifted teacher and creative genius of all things crafty, my younger brother, the only playmate I had within miles and the one who most frequently got on my last nerve, and my father, my personal hero and the one who taught me to laugh, challenged me to believe that I could do anything and inspired much of who I am and what I do today.

Dinnertime conversation often revolved around the latest happenings around “The Grove”, our tiny little community more formally known as Balsam Grove, or around the most recent “DuPont drama” from the manufacturing plant where my father worked to produce film.   DuPont inspired my father’s stories of camaraderie forged among people working side by side, of practical jokes and bursts of laughter that helped pass the long hours of night shift, of tragedies that sometimes gripped life and limb, and of hard work and the rewards of getting the job done with excellence.

Daddy loved to serve other people, never neglected the chance to lend a helping hand, and role modeled standing up for what he believed to be right and true.  While he never shied away from a good debate, he never lost sight of a person’s value and respect even if that person disagreed with his ideas.   He was the role model of the servant leader, always serving with the heart of a king and leading with the heart of a servant.

Dinnertime provided far more than just physical nutrition…it provided rich nourishment for my mind, my heart and my soul.  Dinnertime talks challenged me to explore my own ideas and to ponder what kind of person I wanted to be.  Over the next few weeks, I will share life lessons learned while passing the biscuits around the table and talking with my family.  If you have a story of your own to share, I’d love to hear it.  Until then, if you don’t mind, please pass the butter this way…Mama’s homemade biscuits are calling my name!

To Your TBL Success,

Angela

Filed under: Angela Owen, Self Leadership, Servant Leadership