Logistics at a Crossroads Volume 34: Load Shift: When the Dream Finally Moves Forward
When the Planner Can’t Plan
They don’t tell you that passion has a pause button.
That even when the dream feels like it’s finally gaining traction, life can slam the brakes — hard.
Since February, I’ve been walking through one of the most difficult stretches of my life. Two friends gone within months. A surgery and a recovery that humbled me. Death anniversaries that reopened old grief. And in the middle of it all — school. My anchor and my weight.
There were days when I’d log into class and just stare at the screen, knowing I was there but not really present. There were moments I thought, “I can’t carry one more thing.”
And then life whispered, “You don’t have to carry it all — just keep moving.”
From ’94 to Now — The Long Route to the Classroom
I graduated high school in 1994, full of dreams and plans. But plans don’t always run on schedule.
In 2012, I enrolled at Florida State College in Jacksonville.
By September, I’d moved to South Carolina.
In 2013, the Port called — and I answered.
By 2020, I tried again, determined to finish. But when you’re working 85 to 110 hours a week, school doesn’t fit between double shifts and midnight meals.
So I paused. Again.
Then in 2022, when the world started breathing after the pandemic, I told myself, “This time, you finish.”
Two classes every 7.5 weeks. Every paper. Every quiz. Every deadline.
Done after work, between tears, between exhaustion and faith.
And in August 2024, I walked across that stage with my Associate of Applied Science in Logistics and Supply Chain Management.
I thought that was it — the destination. But it turns out, it was just a checkpoint.
When Rejection Becomes Redirection
This year brought three curveballs: two job interviews and one school change.
Two “no’s” and one major pivot.
And you know what? I’m grateful for all of them.
I didn’t get the jobs. People told me, “That must sting.” But it didn’t. Because I’ve learned that rejection isn’t always failure. Sometimes, it’s protection.
Sometimes it’s God whispering, “Wait. You’re not ready for that one yet.”
Had I accepted a new role while juggling grief, recovery, and class, I’d have been overwhelmed. Instead, I had the clarity to make a decision that shifted everything:
transitioning from Charleston Southern University to the College of Charleston.
And this time, it feels right.
The rhythm fits my life. The schedule fits my reality. I’m not chasing the timeline anymore — I’m following the flow.
The Blessing in the Backlog
In logistics, timing is everything. Ships may be built to run on schedule, but sometimes, the safest thing to do is hold position. You don’t force a docking when the berth isn’t ready.
Life works the same way.
Those missed opportunities weren’t losses; they were holds. Strategic pauses that kept me from crashing into the next thing too soon.
Every setback has been a delay, not a denial.
Every loss, a reroute.
Every semester, a recalibration.
And through it all, I’ve learned that resilience isn’t about grinding harder — it’s about knowing when to stop, when to breathe, and when to protect your peace.
Load Shift
As I move into this next season — new school, new rhythm, same purpose — I realize I’m not starting over.
I’m continuing.
I’m realigning.
The planner is just planning her own path this time.
If you’ve ever been told to wait, if you’ve been passed over, or felt like you’re falling behind — I’m here to tell you:
You’re not late.
You’re not behind.
You’re just loading differently.
Listen to the Episode
🎧 Listen to “Load Shift: When the Dream Finally Moves Forward” on Logistics at a Crossroads
🎶 Intro music: “Serene” by Disrot
🎶 Outro music: “Hustle Harder” by u_79vu1xctae
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