When I was a little girl, my mom would drag me to the stores while she shopped and I’d amuse myself by looking at stuff. I was just learning to read and was always thrilled to find items with “Pat. Pending” on the label. I didn’t know what “Pending” meant, and had no idea that the “Pat.” actually referred to patent applications, but I loved being able to read my own name on so many things!
When I was trying to come up with a name for this blog, it occurred to me that besides being kind of cute and clever (at least to me), Pat Pending is also the perfect description of where I was in my life at that time. A few years before, I had left a long-time job and career with no earthly idea of what I was going to do next. I was…pending. And the truth is, I probably always will be. Are any of us ever really finished? So, with that in mind, I offer some reflections and revelations that occur as I pend.