Non-Breaking Spaces

I arrived in the parking lot of Kohl's armed with my 30% off coupon and $100 shiny dollars of Kohl's Cash. 

My love had the Middle & Monster Monkey's on the mats at wrestling practice leaving me and the Mini Monkey to enjoy a shopping excursion. 

Although there was nothing specific that we needed to purchase, I knew exactly where I was headed. 

You see, during one of my many shopping trips to purchase snow gear and new school pants for the ever growing Monkey's, there was one item that kept catching my eye. 

It was not an awesome pair of boots or a fabulously chunky silver  bracelet. 

It was this. 

An over-sized, metal Ampersand.  And it spoke to me. 

I have been seeking inspiration. Searching high and low for something to spark my interest, get my creative juices going. 

But nothing.  For days.  Nothing.

This is not the first "ampersand" I have purchased.  Strange but true.  I have a similar one in my office. 

The question is why?  Why am I drawn to this one item of punctuation?  This logogram that represents the conjunction word "and." 

Why does it speak to me?

The answer, in brief,  is that I am always seeking the "and." 

Something more.  Looking for the next, the newest, the best.  Beyond what I have, what I am, what I have already done.  Always looking for more. 

And.

Someone has to stop me.

Help me see what I already have, what I've already done, what I already am. 

I am a wife & a mother & a teacher & a lover & a sister & a daughter & a Catholic & a Liberal &...

What else??? 

The "&" represents a non-breaking space.  It's functionality in HTML revolves around indicating when a space should NOT come, it tells a web browser when NOT to BREAK. 

I move seamlessly from mother, to wife, to teacher, to consumer, to daughter, to sister, to friend, to mentor, to blogger, to photographer, to artist, to author, to reader... 

I feel that pressure.  That message.  Do.  Not.  Break. 

And so I don't.