Is This Seat Taken? No, I Saved it for You: Inspiring Life Lessons from Everyday Experiences

By Kristin S. Kaufman

When a seat is saved for us, a door is opened to a new learning opportunity. 

Real life. Author Kristin S. Kaufman has had the good fortune in her life to have many seats saved for her—both literally and figuratively. In this final book of her Is This Seat Taken?trilogy, Kristin invites you to come along with her as she revisits the moments in her life when she discovered the unmistakable wisdom revealed through the “seats” in which she found herself seated, from an empty folding chair at her high school reunion to the most formative roles of her career.

Real lessons. In this, her most compelling and deeply personal book yet, Kristin shares with you her own struggles and victories to help illuminate the powerful life lessons that reveal themselves through everyday experiences—but only if you know how to look. 

A call-and-response story. Kristin invites you  on her personal journey, offering questions along the way to motivate and inspire you to discover the lessons in your own life, gained from experiences such as:

• Suffering the loss of a parent
• Learning to make friends as an adult
• Striving for career success 
• Ending abusive or toxic relationships
• Growing up with small-town values

• Language: English
• Publisher: Greenleaf Book Group
• Release date: Oct 8, 2019
• ISBN: 9781626346697

Book preview

Advance Praise for

Is This Seat Taken?

No, I Saved It for You

I fell in love with Kristin Kaufman’s style of writing with her Is This Seat Taken? series. Her real life experiences inspire others to take notice and learn as we all continue on our own life journey. This book is full of adventure . . . and she never disappoints.

—Jacqueline Qualls, Self-Made Multimillionaire Entrepreneur

A riveting read. Kaufman’s creative use of the term ‘seat’ as a metaphor for reflecting on the many seats we sit in throughout our lifetime is ingenious.

—Lieutenant Colonel Allen B. West (Retired, US Army), Member of the 112th US Congress, Fellow Rotarian

By sharing the hidden blessings of every day encounters, Kaufman methodically distills life’s complexities into the most authentic simplicity: Life is about attitude, period.

—Stephen Hipp, Managing Director, Goldman Sachs & Co

Kristin S. Kaufman has an incredible gift of making you realize the importance being present the in moment and how the ‘seats’ offered you are opportunities that can play a significant role in your life over time.

—Regina Hopper, President and CEO, Miss America Organization, Senior Vice President, Global Public Policy, GRIDSMART Technologies

"Kristin S. Kaufman’s Is This Seat Taken? No, I Saved It for You shows us that we can see our life in broader context and see the larger story of our life. She guides us with questions to help us see deeper meaning behind our experiences, and where our personal story taps into a more universal story. A book to savor again and again."

—Jane Ramsey, Jane Ramsey Meditation, author of Vision Quest: A Novel

I was inspired by this book and you will be, too.

—Brian L. Wolff, Executive Vice President, Public Policy and External Affairs, Edison Electric Institute

A remarkable and refreshing way to look at life . . . funny, moving, and full of wisdom.

—Alan D. Cohen, Co-Chair, Harvard Principals' Center Advisory Board, Emeritus

This book makes me feels as if Kristin is sitting right next to me. Her conversational writing style is warm and inviting. She makes it appear that she is opening up her personal life directly to you. When in fact, she is really opening it up to the world. I now have a new appreciation for who I have known and loved in life, as well as what I have learned and experienced. The questions and exercises she provides at the back of the book will help you reach deep into their own life and find new perspective.

—Carol Maxwell, Vice President, Talent Acquisition, Baylor Scott & White Health

The pages within this book provide a fascinating look inside life’s journey. It will make you reflect back on the many ‘seats’ you’ve sat in along the way, and how each has played a significant role in helping you become the person you are today.

—Matthew Randazzo, President and CEO, The Dallas Foundation

Thoughtful and inviting, Kristin weaves together a beautiful tapestry of her life’s lessons that inspire powerful reflections for our own lives.

—Allan Calonge, CEBS, Chief HR Strategy and Well-being Officer, Bon Secours Mercy Health

The life lessons within this book invite readers on a thought-provoking journey of their life experiences. Kristin’s warm and evocative storytelling style recalls the many ‘seats’ we take along the way and the impact of those encounters on our lives and the lives of those around us.

—Pat Porter, Founding CEO, Business Council for the Arts (NTBCA), Founding Board Member, the King Foundation

Kaufman’s clever use of the phrase ‘Is This Seat Taken?’ in her deeply personal account reveals just how often the unexpected in life can become the enduring if you simply stop, sit, and see.

—Jill Bernstein, Director, Communications and Public Affairs, Dallas Museum of Art

Kristin shows us that although our journey in life may be chaotic at times, each step we take has purpose and meaning for creating the life we’ve always wanted!

—Silke Schwarzkopf, Founder, Executive Producer, and Host, 2nd Act TV

"Combining inspiration and forward thinking, Kristin Kaufman weaves together life lessons through numerous encounters in her new book, Is This Seat Taken? No, I Saved It For You. This book will lead you to reflect on the person you are today and look for the next open ‘seat.’"

—Roz Palasota, Internet Marketing Entrepreneur

In our day to day lives we often see experiences and others as simply ‘new’ to us. In Kristin’s series you find opportunity, life lessons, and heartfelt reflections of what people have to offer. Be ready to be ‘wow-ed’ as you connect with the people in her stories and learn how stories can serve as a wealth of knowledge. Kristin is one of most passionate, caring, and loving human beings I know.

—Marissa E. Falcon, Senior Director, Leader Development, IDEA Public Schools

Kaufman uses her unique personal encounters as a vehicle for a series of life lessons that are relatable to all. Always authentic and at times deeply personal, her book is a must read for those still searching for meaning and understanding in their own life journey.

—Ashley Whisenhunt Harris, Vice President, Marketing and Communications, Ozarks Electric

Kristin Kaufman embraces the human experience and vulnerably shares her raw stories, compelling the reader to reflect upon their own lives while learning through hers.

—Brandy Cox, CFRE, MA ’07, Associate Vice Chancellor and Executive Director, Arkansas Alumni Association

Published by Greenleaf Book Group Press

Austin, Texas

www.gbgpress.com

Copyright ©2019 Kristin Kaufman

www.kristinkaufman.com

Is This Seat Taken? is a registered trademark of Kristin Kaufman.

All rights reserved.

Thank you for purchasing an authorized edition of this book and for complying with copyright law. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the copyright holder.

Distributed by Greenleaf Book Group

For ordering information or special discounts for bulk purchases, please contact Greenleaf Book Group at PO Box 91869, Austin, TX 78709, 512.891.6100.

Design and composition by Greenleaf Book Group

Cover design by Omar Mediano

For permission to reproduce copyrighted material, grateful acknowledgment is made to the following sources:

Peter Drucker’s Self-Awareness Questions from Managing Oneself by Peter Drucker from Harvard Business Review. Copyright © 1999 by Harvard Business Review. Reproduced by permission of Harvard Business Publishing. All rights reserved.

Passages from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2016. The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV) is adapted from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A.

All rights reserved.

Publisher’s Cataloging-in-Publication data is available.

Print ISBN: 978-1-62634-668-0

eBook ISBN: 978-1-62634-669-7

Part of the Tree Neutral® program, which offsets the number of trees consumed in the production and printing of this book by taking proactive steps, such as planting trees in direct proportion to the number of trees used: www.treeneutral.com

Printed in the United States of America on acid-free paper

19 20 21 22 23 24 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

First Edition

In memory of my mother and father, extraordinary human beings who lived extraordinary lives and who blessed our lives with their presence, wisdom, and indelible role model.

Contents

Acknowledgments

Author’s Note

1. One Little Girl Was Watching

2. Miss Ann

3. Reunion

4. Gratitude for the Unexpected

5. The Rookie’s Revelation

6. The Cracked Pot

7. A Defining Detour

8. Mary Poppins

9. The Indispensable Bridge

10. The Gift of Being Redirected

11. One More Race

12. Fireside Chats

13. Gleaning

14. A Four-Legged Sage

15. When the Light Dims

16. Grandaddy’s Lake

Afterword: Living with the Questions

A Thought and Activity Guide for Your Journey Toward Alignment

Readings for Further Consideration

About the Author

Acknowledgments

Life is full of twists and turns through which we learn and grow. I am grateful beyond measure for those throughout my life who have loved, cared for, and encouraged me over the past five-plus decades. Each and every one of you has contributed to my ongoing growth.

Thank you to my sister, Gretchen, with whom I have shared and faithfully navigated life, particularly these past few years of loss and the ever-present reality of mortality. She is my life partner, and one who challenges and supports in equal measure. We have been blessed with our extraordinary parents, and I will be eternally grateful for their unconditional love and steadfast role-modeling throughout our lives. The memory of our father continues to feed my soul, and our courageous and wise mother continued to teach us in her final chapter of life; she passed as this book was in the final editing stage. The extent of my gratitude for my precious family cannot be adequately expressed in words. These three individuals have been the greatest blessings of my life.

Thank you to my lifelong collection of friends. Richly diverse, they bring color to my perspectives, depth to my thoughts, and boundless humor to my days.

Finally, thank you to the posse of professionals who keep my life and businesses clicking along. Thank you to Jennifer Howard for her calm and competent support as I continue to create the life I want. Thank you to Janet Harris, a very talented editor, to whom I am grateful for her patience, candor, and honest intentions to ensure that this book represented my most authentically held beliefs. Thank you to Cindy Birne, an incredibly energetic and persistent publicist, who has stewarded my writing projects since the beginning.

And to the team at Greenleaf Book Group, who have been a steady hand throughout this process. The publishing industry is undergoing changes, and I am grateful for Greenleaf’s port in the storm.

Prayer of St. Francis

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:

where there is hatred, let me sow love;

where there is injury, pardon;

where there is doubt, faith;

where there is despair, hope;

where there is darkness, light;

where there is sadness, joy.

O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek

to