There are many good opportunities out there. I, like most of us, have missed many. I didn’t bother, maybe I was busy with something else, and really missed out on some worthwhile moments. In my quest to live my life more fully, I returned to my 35th (gulp) college reunion last year. I let my 10 year, 20 year and 30 year just slip away. Not anymore. Little did I know that attending the University of Dayton reunion would connect me to old cherished friends that would lead me to another eye opening treasured experience. Yes, opportunities lead to more opportunities.

How about The Greenbrier Resort? YES. I have always wanted to experience it. Never had the chance. A college girls weekend at the Greenbrier? The opportunity was knocking loud and clear.

When we were all departing the reunion, there was a lot of hugging and kissing and “we should get together every year” type conversation. You know the old -“we should grab lunch sometime.” I didn’t think it would happen. I underestimated the power of Margie!! Margie was the initiator and she made it happen. I can’t express enough gratitude to her for her generosity, her playfulness in getting us playing tennis, hiking, swimming and simply connecting through conversation. Margie was the one who insisted on us all to simply “put your phone down!”

Meet the ladies. Myself from New York, Margie from Maryland, Meg from Kentucky, Rachel from Minnesota and Sara from New Jersey all meeting up in White Sulfur Springs, West Virginia.

I felt like I was experiencing American history being there…tea at 4:15, jackets and ties at dinner, well groomed acres, shopping inside the lobby, tennis, swimming in an elegant indoor pool, a chandelier from the set of Gone With The Wind, walking the same halls that Robert E Lee did, and Andrew Jackson, Dwight Eisenhower, and it was the honeymoon destination of Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher. The list goes on and on. I took advantage of the Bunker Tour that was exposed after 30 years of secrecy to serve as an emergency shelter in case of a emergency for the United States Congress. You felt like you were going back to the Cold War years. I can’t believe all the history in this place!

Yet nothing knocked my socks off more than the decorating style of Dorthy Draper. I’m not sure best how to describe it except Lilly Pulitzer, Calico Corners and Vineyard Wine all exploded into one amazing showcase of color and pattern. It was all re-docrated in 1945 and all the rug patterns, drapes, upholstery of the Dorthy Draper collection remain close by and are repaired and replaced as needed. You want a show – you are going to get a show. This is not a Holiday Inn or Marriott interior. It’s flamboyant! It’s the Draper signature look and I could not get enough of it.

Dorthy Draper believed in roses, rhododendrons, and romance. She liked lipstick color, black and white floors and no rules when it came to colors. She died in 1969 and her legacy lives on and on in the close to 700 rooms, lobby, restaurants, hall ways of the Greenbrier Resort among others. Thank you Dorothy for your confidence and boldness in decorating.

It’s so worth it to take advantage of opportunities. Experiencing the great places in our country and sharing them with timeless friends just expands our minds and makes for a great stories to rehash at our next adventure. I can’t tell you how many stories I heard about the history of this resort, the changes made, the resiliency after a flood and a near bankruptcy all serve to restore good faith in all of us. As I took my departing photo of the Greenbrier magnificent building I noticed a heart of clouds in the right hand side. What a symbol for the love for one another and those in heaven above.

Don’t hesitate to say yes when opportunities come knocking.

Oh, and as beautiful as the interior decorating was – nothing was more beautiful than the faces of my cherished friends and the beautiful mountains of West Virginia.

Sincerely,

Trish

Tags : Dorthy Draper, Greenbrier, History, West Virginia