Imagine… It was a Friday night on May 17th and a sell-out crowd at Spectrum Center. Tim McGraw was on center stage. Lights dim, the crowd singing along, and a Juicy Jay in hand… Take me back!
You have the feeling you get when you look around at a concert to see 17,000 different individuals with different life stories, all together for the night, delighting in the same words to the same songs, sharing the same experience, and living in the same world.
A world characterized by happiness and sadness, joy and anger, perseverance and hopelessness, friendliness and aggression. A world where we are all striving for the next best thing and pursuing our dreams. TikTok is promoting the best skin care routine, and Instagram the next tropical vacation to Bermuda (strawberry daiquiris anyone?). Not to mention our favorite mantras… Embrace change! Get organized! Get fit! Get faster, smarter, quicker at… everything!
Charlotte is buzzing, summer is in full swing – Woo-hoo! The QC just wrapped up the always special Wells Fargo Championship (congrats to Rory McIlroy), Chris Stapleton and George Straight kicked off June with country music under the lights at BofA Stadium, the Charlotte Knights are running the bases, Christopher Bell slid into victory lane at the rain shortened Coca-Cola 600 and MJ and Hamlin debuted the new 23XI racing HQ, the Blue Devils won the ACC Baseball Championship at Truist Field (Go Heels! Sorry not sorry! Thank you, Demi Lovato for the line). Not to mention the 32 new restaurants, bars and breweries opening in Charlotte in the next year, and 100+ people moving to the city per day… ‘Charlotte’s got a lot!’
… Tim McGraw is singing the second to last song of the set list. The crowd and I are together, singing and swaying back in forth… second Juicy Jay in hand…
When you get where you’re goin’, don’t forget turn back around.
And help the next one in line.
Always stay humble and kind.
That Friday night, the song struck a special chord as it took me back to Ms. Morrison’s Kindergarten class just up the road at Cotswold Elementary School. It reminded me of the golden rule and how I can endeavor to treat others better every day. It reminded me of what is truly important amidst the crazy. It reminded me of those that have shown kindness to me and many, and those who have helped the next one in line.
Ask yourself, what is one small act of kindness I can do today? Cheers to the next round of Juicy Jays, and most importantly to remembering to stay humble and kind, leaving this world better than we found it! Imagine…
Genevieve Duffy is a Charlotte native and relationship manager in the Commercial Bank at Wells Fargo.
