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BE PART OF THE LEGACY

TAMPA BAY • FEBRUARY 23-24 2026

This FINAL encore experience will be unlike any other. Because like everything we do, it's been "reimagined" from beginning to end. It's not a virtual or hybrid event. It's not a conference. It's not a seminar, a workshop, a meeting, or a symposium. And it's not your typical run-of-the-mill everyday event crammed with stages, keynote speeches, team-building exercises, PowerPoint presentations, and all the other conventional humdrum. Because it's up close & personal by design. Where conversation trumps presentation. And where authentic connection runs deep.

Morning Sessions: Like the Trees

I sit still and with the stillness, like the trees outside my window. It is my time to reflect – this time is a gift, and I know it. 

It’s not light out yet, but daybreak is there. I can see it hovering above the trees. Their silhouette stands pristinely against the calm grey sky. And they sit ever so still. They wait to awaken. Patient in their quest to shift again. Courageous, knowing that they will be barren again in a short time.

I sit still and with the stillness, like the trees outside my window. It is my time to reflect – this time is a gift, and I know it. For so long, I didn’t have these moments. I was up and running and off to a place where I felt trapped, useless, and worn from the toxicity. Days led to months, and months led to years.

I longed for more but was unsure how to attain it. At times, I wasn’t sure I had earned it. Often, I was barren like the trees. My leaves had fallen, and I wondered if my branches would bud again.

Could they?

The answers resided within me. Each branch connected to a root that would eventually set me free to fall and whip away in the wind—floating until I found a place to land.

Each experience and free fall was a part of my journey. One moment connecting to the next. Unknowing what might happen, I am often grateful for what did happen.

I don’t regret the experiences, even the painful ones.

I see now that they were part of my journey, no matter how trying those times may have been. Had it not been for those twisted and dark curves, would I not be where I am now?

I’m unsure. But where I am is a testament to where I’ve been. I forget that sometimes. So, I’m writing this as a reminder. Like the trees, my leaves have fallen from time to time. My life has morphed. And my branches have been broken and snapped.

But my roots remain strong. And even when things get shaky, the stillness eventually comes.

Laura Mikolaitis
Laura Mikolaitishttps://bellasolwrites.blogspot.com/
Laura credits her writing, which laid dormant for years, to her late mom, who always believed in her. Writing unabashedly from the heart and inspired by millions of moments, three tenets of evergreen advice that her mom always shared with her are her guiding principles. Whether it is poetry, fiction, or a personal essay, her love for the written word feeds her mind, body, and spirit. Laura’s creativity also comes to life in her passion for photography. Her ongoing love affair with the moon, her joy for family and friends, her connection to nature, and being a loving canine mom often become some of her best subjects. Laura has held many roles throughout her professional career, including Brand Manager, Project Manager, and Director of Global Business Development and Sales Operations. In addition, she has a background in consumer-packaged goods, manufacturing, and textiles. Laura currently works in biotechnology for Berkshire Corporation as their Product Marketing Manager. She holds a Master of Science degree in Communications and Information Management from Bay Path University and a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from SUNY Oswego. Originally from Northern NY, Laura resides with her husband and canine child in a small town in Massachusetts that captured her heart years ago.

DO YOU HAVE THE "WRITE" STUFF? If you’re ready to share your wisdom of experience, we’re ready to share it with our massive global audience – by giving you the opportunity to become a published Contributor on our award-winning Site with (your own byline). And who knows? – it may be your first step in discovering your “hidden Hemmingway”. LEARN MORE HERE


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