There are days when I know what I’m doing, and then there are days when I wonder what I’m doing. Although I love my newfound freedom of not having to plan or execute anything, I must say that I feel like an empty nester. You know those feelings you have when you have spent your whole life nurturing and raising a child into adulthood and they go off to college or they step out and build a life of their own, and you wake up and realize that your whole world revolved around them. That’s kind of what I feel occasionally when it comes to “Geri Speak.” I miss writing speeches and sharing my stories of trials and triumphs, and I miss having something to look forward to that excites me, because nothing gets me more excited than preparing for and presenting a speech.
I am keenly aware that this is a new phase of life for me and I firmly believe that I have taken it in stride with no real complaints, however I must be honest and admit that a part of me is slowly dying inside. “Geri Speak” has been my life since I was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 30 and shared my story in a local magazine, thus opening a door for my speaking career. Now at age 69, after stepping away from promoting “Geri Speak,” I’m able to fill my time with other enjoyable endeavors, but the speaker in me is oh so lonely! I know God has other plans moving forward and I’m putting forth my best effort to hear clearly what that might be as I continue to enjoy the new doors that have opened so far.