Yesterday was my birthday, and it also happened to be the Grammys. I pulled out my high school prom dress and called a few girlfriends (who also pulled out their prom dresses), and we got together in my basement and made an insane, cornball night of it. 

It’s funny to think that the initial purpose of that dress was for me to feel confident at an awkward dance with my boyfriend when I was 17.  And yesterday, its purpose was to squeeze around my old body while I drank champagne and danced around with women. 

I’ve been thinking a lot about purpose and how important it is to let the purpose—of ourselves, our creations, and truly everything—change. My hands that once played concerts every week in Chicago are spending the bulk of their time raising kids and a restaurant in Rockford, Illinois.  But as long as my hands can still serve a purpose, they should.  Our meaning and the meaning of the world around us is forever moving.  No one is here to serve just one purpose, and there’s no need to fear when our purpose morphs.

Last night, Tracy Chapman’s song “Fast Car”—which she wrote decades ago to express herself—was repurposed by Luke Combs.  Her quiet creation from years ago is once again an anthem.  I loved watching it take on a different life.  Reader, as we go through our week, let’s not forget the power of changing purpose. There’s freedom in allowing ourselves and our things to take on new meaning. I’ll see you next Monday. -Em