Being Reminded

I spent Saturday interviewing high school seniors for scholarships—something I’ve done for many years and that moves me every time. But this year had me thinking.

Each student walks into a room of 15 adults, most of us strangers. Walking into a room of that many strangers at any age would be unnerving, but they all come in and sit down with hopeful eyes. We ask questions about their lives, dreams, and accomplishments (in their 17 or 18 years). Some have seen more than anyone should at their age. Others are wide-eyed with excitement and still figuring it all out. All of them are impressively brave.

We score with a rubric, yes—but it becomes more than numbers after a while. There’s a knowing. A quiet moment where you feel the depth of a student’s story, where their sincerity resonates from their words. You can’t measure that awareness and courage, it’s felt viscerally.

Driving home, I thought about them and my daughter, who will be their age soon. About all the young people just beginning to carve their paths. About what it takes to step forward when you’re unsure where it leads. And honestly—about myself, too.

Being a mom has taught me what it means to love fiercely and hope endlessly, but also to let go, trust, and believe in the next steps even when they’re unclear.

These students reminded me that we’re all in that place. We choose courage over certainty. We reach for something more, whether we’re launching a dream, raising a child, rebuilding ourselves, or just trying again.

Simple. Pure. Love. isn’t just a business to me, it’s a reflection of everything I believe in. The good stuff—growth, love, hope—doesn’t always have to be obvious. Sometimes it’s just showing up. Taking the next step, even if you’re scared. Being kind, listening closely, and staying real in a complicated world. That’s what I want to hold onto. That’s what I want to share.

Yesterday, I watched a generation take that next step, which reminded me to keep taking mine, too.