The holidays were especially meaningful for me this year, as I reconnected with many friends and former coworkers who helped shape both my life and my career. It was all unexpected but oh so special...
It began with time spent with a dear friend who volunteered with the NC Museum of History Associates. We traveled to Savannah together along with other museum members—such a gift of shared experience and friendship.
Then, at my sister's birthday celebration, I saw and danced with the husband of my dear friend and former boss, Johnny Poole (Inez) who was a head teller at Peoples Bank when I was in college. They are the ones who introduced me to the real deal shaggin scene!
Soon after, I heard from Vanessa Urbina, the very first bilingual teller I ever hired at First Federal Bank in Clayton. Her poise, professionalism, and ability to translate opened so many doors for our small branch and allowed us to better serve clients who had long been underserved. Amazingly, nearly 20 years later, we now work in the same office building!
I also ran into Christie Donaldson, who became a fast friend during our years at First Citizens. We were office neighbors in Clayton and always had plenty to talk about, having both served FCB for many years.
The Sunday before Christmas, I saw my very first boss from First Citizens at Hayes Barton Baptist Church. After more than 20 years, we quickly reconnected and shared stories—especially about my role as a trailblazer, creating and providing a very unique travel and client appreciation program for bank clients at FCB.
And today, at my great-niece’s baptism, I saw Elizabeth Wallace. Elizabeth and I worked together at FCB, and she helped me with all things promotional for the public relations club I managed for the Bank.
I share all of this because it has truly been a blessing to reconnect with people who helped shape me and my career. They were coworkers—but more than that, they were friends. Together, we worked hard to accomplish meaningful things for the people we served through our organizations.
I can honestly say that I was blessed in 2025 and early 2026 with a beautiful flashback to the very best parts of my past!
I am thankful for the people God placed in my life—then and now—who continue to remind me how rich those years truly were.
It reminded me that the true gift of those years was the people who walked alongside me. We were focused on our goals for work but enjoyed our time together as we created lasting memories for our clients. Little did we know, we were creating lasting memories for ourselves as well.
Looking back, I realize that the relationships we built mattered just as much as the work we did.
Some chapters never really close—they wait quietly until you’re blessed enough to revisit them.
I am deeply thankful for the people God placed in my life—colleagues who became friends—and for the meaningful work we were blessed to do together.
