May We Introduce Ourselves...

I guess the proper thing to do is to introduce ourselves. 

My name is Anne Marie Girolami.  My cohort in this particular crime is Katherine Abbey.  She’s the speaker and communicator of this pair… but I’ll let her speak for herself.

I, on the other hand, am more comfortable typing behind a keyboard than speaking in front of crowds.  My bio reads as boringly as my profession, and it doesn’t define who I am.  I’d rather just tell you, instead, that I love to sing, (which is how I met Katherine), to write (which is how you and I met), and to be considered a good and supportive friend to those in my life (which is what this book project is all about). 

If you like to sing like I do, then my advice is to find a church choir.  They have to accept anybody who wants to join — at least that was what one person told me after she heard me sing.  She followed that compliment with the reassurance that I shouldn’t worry, because their music director is a miracle worker and can make anyone sound good.

With that vote of confidence still ringing in my ear, I managed to step up and introduce myself to their music director.  I know it’s hard to figure out why I would do such a thing, but I did.

But isn’t it amazing how we can go from one day to the next, thinking nothing of the decisions that we make, and how each decision brings us farther down a particular path?   That courageous step, on that particular day, led me to meet my soon-to-be-friend, Katherine.

*   *   *

I’m Katherine Abbey.  Charisma and extraversion seem to come naturally to me.  I love people.  I love listening to people, relating to people, influencing people, moving their hearts and minds.

For many years, I worked to consciously improve my interpersonal and leadership skills.  Teaching, communicating, performing, directing, organizing, strategizing, growing ideas… These were staple activities in my life.  (They still are.)

All of these skills have served me well, but they’re just skills.  They don’t define who I am.  I think a better gauge of who I am is to look at the principles that I live my life by.  Integrity, honesty, respect, growth, service, excellence, patience, nurturance, encouragement… I infuse my interactions and activities with these principles.

It was my sense of nurturance and encouragement that led me to be so open to working with musicians in any stage of development.  I was directing the music program at a local church when Anne Marie came in and said she was interested in singing in the choir.

Right away, I knew that Anne Marie would be a potent asset to the music program in many ways.  Her dedication to self-improvement and service to others would shine so brightly, she quickly became an integral part of the ministry.

Little did I know how this professional relationship would morph into something much more.