Renee’s move

Her first move from Kansas City was to San Francisco – CALIFORNIA! Her second move was to New York. Her third move was to San Francisco. So when the opportunity to move back to Kansas City was presented, it was an overwhelming decision.

In San Francisco, Renee was an Executive Assistant to a high profile entrepreneur. The position, even with its challenges, was incredibly fulfilling. Renee was such a trusted individual that she was invited to offer feedback on some of the company’s most sensitive decisions. Her opinion was highly regarded. Her knowledge and experience made Renee particularly adept at offering advice and grounded direction. She was a true asset to the company, its culture and even San Francisco. Renee was well liked and over her years, had developed a significant network of friends and colleagues and was even being pursued by other ‘celebrity’ entrepreneurs and chefs.

But. Moving to Kansas City? Was this really the best thing?

Her family still lived in Kansas City. She and her mother were quite close and they had traveled together to exotic destinations almost annually. Renee felt the draw to be closer to her family, and yet, she’d lived away for so long that she wondered if it really was necessary to return to her roots. Could she really return to her home town?

The year this choice was presented had been particularly difficult, not the least of which was a fire in the building in which Renee was living. Thankfully, she wasn’t home and no one was hurt, but one apartment – the one on her opposite wall – was significantly damaged and there was smoke damage throughout. Further, the entrepreneur for whom she was working launched his second book, the company was in the midst of a massive expansion and the corporate office where Renee worked also moved to a different location. With all of these elements converging, Renee was often feeling overwhelmed and certainly underappreciated. But again, Kansas City?

The decision had been plaguing Renee for some time, and with life’s other pressures, she decided to ask for a sign; she offered her destiny to the simplicity of a sign, however that would come.

On the day that the sign came to her, Renee was actually meant to be taking the day off after having worked for a month straight. She also needed to be home to help her landlord by meeting a moving crew hired to move her neighbor while they repaired her fire-damaged apartment. However, being in the midst of a huge work project, she offered to work a half day.  

There she was, walking back and forth from the office to a nearby printer, on her last run needed for the project that day. She was going to pick up lunch for her boss, return to the office and head home. Waiting to cross the street, Renee looked down at the sidewalk and an image struck her…there, written in orange spray paint were the letters ‘MCI’ along with an arrow pointing East. To many, this code which likely meant something to a City construction worker would have no meaning, but what registered for Renee was the fact that ‘MCI’ happens to be the airline code for Kansas City.

Renee returned to the office with a different mindset. After finishing minor details, she left the office and made her way back to her home and to a scene that was much more astonishing. The movers were there, “Ack! They’re early!,” she thought. When Renee rushed in to connect with the movers, what she immediately saw was even more frustrating…the movers had accidentally packed up HER apartment rather than her neighbor’s. Her home was filled with boxes; her life packed.

“Ok! I get it!,” Renee proclaimed with outstretched arms toward the sky.

 It was time to move, and Kansas City was the destination.

Photo Credit: Michal Balog