I recently celebrated my 40th birthday on a fly fishing trip to South America. Knowing how difficult it can be to ever truly disconnect from the hustle and bustle of raising a family and running a business, my husband spoiled me with a gal pal trip to Argentina. My buddy Rachel and I took a day and half to get there, five days on the water and another day and half to get back. It was nothing short of wonderful, and not for the reasons you might expect.
Preparing to leave for an extended period of time takes nothing short of an army. Lining out my every thought so the business can run seamlessly is a task in itself, let alone updating my sweetie on the ins and outs of the preschool and first grade routines, sports, birthday parties and such. There’s no question that my partners and I are cut from the same cloth, so as much as I fretted over the full plates they had, they fretted over whether I would really give myself permission to take in all that Argentina had to offer.
I enabled my Auto-Reply, changed my voicemail and off I went… into solitude and pure bliss. For anyone who has ever lived my reality, there is no better place to reflect on your blessings than in the middle of a river with crystal clear water passing below and nobody needing one single thing from you.
For the extended travel, my sister-in-law equipped me with an incredible book, and for any of you who barely have a moment to read…. I can’t say enough about it. It’s called “For the Love: Fighting for Grace in a World of Impossible Standards” by Jen Hatmaker. Oh my gosh, was it good! It was an enjoyable and funny read with lots of gentle reminders about the good stuff in life.
Arranged by Rachel, Outfitter Extraordinaire, we joined a small group of anglers from all walks of life. There was an inventor, investors and even a brain surgeon, and each brought their own story. I learned some incredible business tips from each of them while also picking up a few tips about myself. It was such an honor to be invited to join this group, and what I took from the experience is something I won’t ever forget.
More than once I found myself in complete silence and a total state of peace thinking about the relationships in my life that have made my story what it is. I thought about my parents who ingrained into me my work ethic, reminisced about literally hundreds of lives I have changed with the role I played in their real estate transactions, and was reminded of the dozens of current clients who celebrated my travel plans instead of making it about them and their needs. I relished in the thoughts of my “village” and how they all were banding together so I could have the trip of a lifetime. Unbeknownst to me, my little ones were home with fevers and ear infections and my already amazing husband elevated to rock star status while cuddling our more-whiney-than-ever kids. Dyan (and her husband) worked tirelessly to maintain the level of service our clients have learned to expect, and I literally lost count of how many escrows she opened, inspection reports negotiated, or appraisals challenged when I was gone.
While sitting among a table of talent, I realized that while some consider us just real estate agents… (I mean really, how hard could it be to sell a house?), I came to appreciate the role we play and the impact we have. Without success in this business I certainly could never have afforded such a trip, but even more so, without taking the time to step away from it all, I would never truly come to know just what an amazing support system I have.
I have said it before but I can’t say it enough… Thank you. Thank you for believing in me and supporting me as my life has unfolded in the last 17 years. I appreciate the trust and especially the love. When I decided to get into real estate, I wasn’t really sure why it spoke to me but now I understand it. As my husband reminded me just the other night… through this business I have been given an opportunity to touch many lives. Dyan and I are passionate about paying it forward, supporting the community we live in and sharing our knowledge. We are honored to be given the opportunity to be “your person,” the ones who helps you to brainstorm before making huge decisions, the ones you rely on for sound advice and the ones you trust with one of the most important decisions of your life. Thank you for continuing to believe in us. We are humbled and will never stop appreciating your faith in us.
DeAnna Sickler and Dyan Lane
John L. Scott Real Estate
320 E. Main Street
Ashland OR 97520
(541) 494-5353
Check out their website here
