“Waking up every day of my life is like magic. It’s like waking up in Disney World.”
Today’s #FollowFriday, Megan Durand, brought so much joy, gratitude, and hope to our conversation last month, and I have been looking forward to featuring her ever since.
Being an American-born child of Iranian immigrants, there was a lot expected of Megan when she was growing up. The pressure of expectations, the responsibility to hold true to her cultural roots that impacted her integration into average American life, and a strong desire to figure out her own course led Megan to seek a path that diverged from expectations and got her away from the world she had always known.
About a year after the 9/11 attacks, Megan seized an opportunity to become a flight attendant for the military. Thinking the assignment would be exciting, Megan soon realized she had no idea what she had gotten herself into. Several flights Megan worked were full of only coffins..heroes who had given their lives so that she had the freedom and the opportunities she had, up until that point, not fully appreciated.
After returning home from her overseas assignments, Megan — now pregnant with her first child — learned she would have no place to live by the time they would be leaving the hospital. All of her memories and heirlooms were gone. She had nothing. Not even a onesie for her new baby.
Without hesitation, her parents took her and her baby in.
Megan returned to school and was able to earn her degree. Working day and night, with a newborn, Megan did whatever it took to take care of her baby and build a life for herself.
One of the most impactful things Megan shared with me was a story of standing in line for aide for her and her daughter, and looking around at the (mostly women) standing in line with her. Her situation knew no race. Hardship and poverty does not identify with one particular ethnicity.
Eventually Megan got her first job in recruiting, building her skills and network and becoming a leader in her field. Today, she is the Senior Manager, Communications Americas Finance Transformation at AstraZeneca, where she oversees all FT Communications in the Americas to support a new culture of efficient, engaged and empowered Finance Partners to be trusted advisors in a global and ever changing environment.
I’m unbelievably grateful to James Heinlein for introducing me to yet another incredible woman.
Meet Megan Durand. She is a woman who reminds me to be grateful every day.
