My Origin Story

" How I got to where I am today" by Donna Hawkins

"Ah, a man's reach should exceed his grasp,

Or what's a heaven for?"

Robert Browning wrote those words in the 1800s. I first heard them when my 6th-grade teacher read them aloud to the entire class. I found the message so powerful I adopted it as my motto for life. "My Origin Story" exemplifies how Browning's poetry has stayed in motion to guide me through a myriad of experiences. With the purchase of the farm in 1988, my challenges focused on the care and riding of the horse. Over the years, "care" remained while"riding" changed to "horsemanship" and  "balance." 

Each year I crafted an experience that challenged my "reach to exceed my grasp" so that I could celebrate a "heaven." At the time, I had no idea how much impact that motto would have on the rest of my life. That "reach" placed me front and center into situations that strengthened my inner soul and outer being. The resulting "heaven" fed my love of learning and attaining the goals I set for myself annually. It inspired me to help others find their "reach" so that they, too, could exceed their "grasp" and enjoy their "heaven."

I'll never forget my first challenge. I aimed to save Mom the cost of my daily bus fares to and from school. That meant walking or perhaps biking the 3-mile trip each way. I decided on biking. But I didn't have a bike! I was $10 short of the cost of the cheapest bike I could find. Solving the problem was my "reach."  Fortunately, a construction crew was paving a road in front of my home. The project was to last approximately two months. Summer temperatures were exceptionally high that year. The thermometer was rising relentlessly. The workers were thirsty. And the closest refreshment outlet was over a mile away. It was a no-brainer! I would deliver cool water to the workers for free. At the same time, I would offer strawberry Kool-Aid for a nickel per glass. By the time the paving was completed, I had more than enough cash to pay Mom for the sugar and Kool-Aid she had provided. I had pocketed an additional $11.05. Eureka! My first reach had exceeded my first grasp! I bought the bike. Mom no longer had to pay for my bus trips. It certainly was a "heaven" for which I was grateful -- a win-win for Mom, the workers, and me!

The year was 1958. I was 12 years old.

I vowed to tackle one "reach" each year for the rest of my life. And you know what . . . I have kept that promise!