5. June 2026

The Detour Is Part of the Design

I used to fight every redirect. Every closed door felt like failure. Every delay felt like punishment. I wanted the straight line, the clear path from where I was to where I believed I was supposed to be.

But 25 years in aerospace taught me something that Sunday school confirmed, the process matters as much as the outcome. In quality, we don't skip steps because we're in a hurry. We follow the standard because the standard protects what matters.

Life works the same way.

The detour that took me to my father's gravesite in LA was not the journey I planned. But it was the journey I needed. The career pivot that moved me from engineering administration into quality auditing was not the path I drew up. But it built the foundation for everything I do today.

If you're in a season of redirection, I want you to hear this, the detour is not a denial. It's a design. Trust the process. Follow the standard. The destination hasn't changed, but the route might be better than anything you could have mapped yourself.

Elevate the Standard. Maximize the Moment.