I'm often asked how I became the person I am. I think what people are really asking is, "how did a kid from a small town in South Dakota develop such a passionate sense of curiosity, creativity and community?" Most times, I respond in shorthand, simply saying, "I was raised a child of possibility."
But when I'm feeling spirited, I tell the full truth, responding, "You'll often find that kids who have fathers that are grocery store clerking, lumber yard foremanning, electrical contracting, trophy and award designing, hardware store owning, operations managing, fireworks selling, halloween loving, school board membering, community sandbox filling, April Fools prank pulling, cannon building, peacock raising, customer service mastering, Discovery Channel watching tinkerers, inventors and do-gooders (deep breath) and mothers that are insurance company typing, hamburger waitressing, small town newspaper reporting, piano teaching, church organ playing, Creative Circle and Tupperware selling, community serving, opera and theater loving, non-traditional college degree receiving (twice), language arts instructing, middle school principaling, angel tree buying, exchange student hosting, Chamber of Commerce volunteering, personal passion encouraging, all-around caring nurturers, thinkers and life-long learners (second deep breath) ... well, you're just kind raised that way."