For a Lifetime

I had the absolute honor of presenting the Devotional to begin the closing business session at the 2014 Phi Mu National Convention. Here it is!

Well, here we are…the last business session! That is wild…it always goes so quickly!

When I was a junior at Miami and serving Beta Eta as Vice President, I had the opportunity to travel to Peachtree City for a leadership conference with Phi Mu. When we were in the Cincinnati airport, all wearing our letters, we ran into a group of women who were also Phi Mus who were still traveling to vacation together 20 years after their college graduation. That was my first glimpse of how special this organization would be to me for a lifetime…and then a few years later, I was serving on staff and attended my first National Convention and my mind was blown.

Recently, I started a job as a fraternity and sorority advisor at a school in Ohio. Have you ever had someone question your decision to join a Greek organization? I get similar responses when I explain that I’ve chosen this as my career. I get even more sideways looks when I explain that yes, I still volunteer my time to an organization that I joined in college. What I wish so many could understand is how much more Phi Mu means to us. I wish that everyone could see what we’ve done here this week. I wish that they could be standing in the back of this room right now to witness it.

They would obviously see hundreds of women. They would begin to understand that this is far more than a social club, although that pool party was pretty fabulous. They would see that we have gathered for something larger than ourselves, and that we care about the strength, quality, and longevity of this, our organization. The alumnae in the room would share about their collegiate experience and the many years of memories that they’ve made with sisters post-college. I would hope to have the opportunity to tell them how thankful I am and how special so many of you are to me.  

You are special because you have known me since I was a new member, you befriended me when I joined the HQ staff, you’ve trusted me with projects that will forever make our organization stronger, and have become my truest lifelong friends. You have shown me what it means to be a mother, a strong professional, and a volunteer and that as women, we can truly have it all. You are special because it does not matter to which city I adventure next, you will be there to welcome me and to help me make it a home.  I’ve just completed my third interstate move and I did this one with such confidence because of Phi Mu. All you need to know about me is that we share a Ritual and that is enough for you to offer your homes, help, and care.  I know that “not 4 years, for life” has become the newest popular hashtag, but don’t let those words lose meaning…they’re some of the truest to me!

So, as we leave each other tomorrow, I hope that you can experience that our bond really does transcend time and location. I hope that in your future, you experience meeting a Phi Mu in a job interview, feeling comforted by a sister calling at exactly the right time, and that you always display your membership proudly. Be confident when you explain that joining this organization was the best decision that you’ve ever made because, believe me, even at my young age, I can tell you that you will mean that for a lifetime. Thank you.