Leland is my beloved Ritz Carlton bellhop lion. He sports a sateen blue and gold uniform with a sharp little cap, cocked to the side over one ear.
He still has a tag hanging from his ear, which reads:
"When you first arrive
At the Ritz Carlton hotel,
This lion named Leland,
Will make sure all is well"
I welcomed Leland into my life on March 18, 2002. The evening prior, I was asked to become a wife. My now husband proposed on a beach in Florida, with a message in a bottle (which turned out to be a poem he wrote himself on a parchment scroll) and a diamond that had been in his family for nearly 100 years. And if I wasn't thrilled enough, he later surprised me by pulling into the Ritz Carlton Amelia Island - I thought we were on our way home!
As Leland grinned at me through the gift shop window, I knew I had to take him home. These days, as my home is overrun with stuffed animals and preschool toys, Leland still remains safely on my bedroom dresser. His sweet brown eyes make me smile regularly, and remind me of a simpler time. A time with less pressure, less stress, less exhaustion. A time that pointed me to the right path.
Yes... no matter how worn down I may be, I know this is the best life for me.