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Lilac Dreams: My Journey from a Sewer Drain to the Boardroom
Bonnie Hathcock never wanted anyone to know how humble her roots really were. As she sat in the mahogany boardroom of one of the largest corporations in the country, she worried about being worthy enough to be there. She had made it to the top as one of the highest-ranking officers of a Fortune 100 corporation, but she kept her background out of view for fear of being looked down on. That was until the day she realized her humble beginnings, her mistakes, and her limitations made her who she was and actually created the success she attained. Bonnie wrote Lilac Dreams to share the story of her youth...with its mistakes, hardships, and struggles. Despite her circumstances, Bonnie still had her dreams. Lilac Dreams is a book that will move you to look beyond your current circumstances, and affirm your worth in this world. Bonnie believes if she can do it, you can do it.
142 pages, Paperback
Published January 30, 2017
1 person is currently reading
156 people want to read
About the author
Bonnie Hathcock
1 book7 followersBonnie C. Hathcock has over 35 years of experience in corporate America. For most of those years, she held C-suite positions at the top of Fortune 100 and 200 corporations. Bonnie began her career at Xerox Corporation, where she spent a decade learning world-class marketing concepts.
Her business and marketing acumen eventually caught the attention of a high-ranking executive from Siemens A.G., who promoted Bonnie to the position of vice president of human resources for one of the largest Siemens companies in the United States. Bonnie would eventually be promoted to vice president of Human Resources for US Airways, and senior vice president of Human Resources for Humana Inc.
Bonnie’s work ethic and drive for excellence awarded her the distinction as one of the Top 25 Most Influential Women in Human Resources in 2005. In 2007, Bonnie was named Human Resources Executive of the Year, a national award presented by HR Executive Magazine. In 2010, Bonnie was inducted as a fellow into the National Academy of Human Resources.
Bonnie has an MBA and has completed post-graduate studies at the Stanford University School of Business. She resides in Tennessee with her husband Lee and her Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Cubby.
Her business and marketing acumen eventually caught the attention of a high-ranking executive from Siemens A.G., who promoted Bonnie to the position of vice president of human resources for one of the largest Siemens companies in the United States. Bonnie would eventually be promoted to vice president of Human Resources for US Airways, and senior vice president of Human Resources for Humana Inc.
Bonnie’s work ethic and drive for excellence awarded her the distinction as one of the Top 25 Most Influential Women in Human Resources in 2005. In 2007, Bonnie was named Human Resources Executive of the Year, a national award presented by HR Executive Magazine. In 2010, Bonnie was inducted as a fellow into the National Academy of Human Resources.
Bonnie has an MBA and has completed post-graduate studies at the Stanford University School of Business. She resides in Tennessee with her husband Lee and her Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Cubby.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
March 23, 2017
I DID NOT PLAN TO LIKE THIS BOOK ...
At first glance, Lilac Dreams seemed a bit self-absorbed to me and did not seem to have much of a point. Just another life story of hard times early on, followed by success later. The hard times are not the worse I have heard of or even experienced myself, and the successes, while commendable, are not the stuff of empires and sweeping changes.
No, this is just a story about a person who grew up at a particular time, in particular circumstances, and who persevered, learning a few things along the way. Imagine my surprise when I slowly became engrossed in one small chapter after another, finding familiar scenes and valuable life lessons in abundance.
Three things to share that I ended up liking about Bonnie's book:
NOSTALGIA ...
The author is roughly the same age as I am, so the scenes of youth, especially the schoolrooms and the neighborhoods, were familiar. I found myself "adapting" each of her well-painted vignettes to my own experiences as a naive and insecure child and adolescent, and found comfort in the thought that maybe we all are really more alike than we are different.
Nostalgia can be something we wallow in, bewailing an imagined better time, or it can be a pleasant reminder of where we come from. I found myself pleasantly remembering past events to which I have no desire to return.
RICH DETAIL ...
I will admit that the rich detail with which places and people are described in almost every story was not my first favorite thing about this book. However, as I said earlier, I became drawn into the era and the lives that live through this book. Sometimes the detail evoked memories and others times, it created images upon which to gaze.
Detail in writing can get in the way or it can inflame our ability to "see" what the author is sharing ... in this case, the writing is definitely a positive attribute.
HOW OUR LIVES ARE SHAPED ...
As I moved through small experience after small experience, I was struck by how relatable Bonnie's story should be to most of us. There is pain in some places, hope in others, and a strong sense of how the author has developed her own internal strength from what she has experienced.
After all, we all live our lives mostly in small doses, easily shard with others through a series of small stories, especially when well written. Short accounts of the daily times of our lives often become valuable in retrospect.
So read this book patiently, move through it with an open mind, and I believe that you will find much to reflect on in your own Lilac Dreams.
Loving this book more than I imagined I would.
At first glance, Lilac Dreams seemed a bit self-absorbed to me and did not seem to have much of a point. Just another life story of hard times early on, followed by success later. The hard times are not the worse I have heard of or even experienced myself, and the successes, while commendable, are not the stuff of empires and sweeping changes.
No, this is just a story about a person who grew up at a particular time, in particular circumstances, and who persevered, learning a few things along the way. Imagine my surprise when I slowly became engrossed in one small chapter after another, finding familiar scenes and valuable life lessons in abundance.
Three things to share that I ended up liking about Bonnie's book:
NOSTALGIA ...
The author is roughly the same age as I am, so the scenes of youth, especially the schoolrooms and the neighborhoods, were familiar. I found myself "adapting" each of her well-painted vignettes to my own experiences as a naive and insecure child and adolescent, and found comfort in the thought that maybe we all are really more alike than we are different.
Nostalgia can be something we wallow in, bewailing an imagined better time, or it can be a pleasant reminder of where we come from. I found myself pleasantly remembering past events to which I have no desire to return.
RICH DETAIL ...
I will admit that the rich detail with which places and people are described in almost every story was not my first favorite thing about this book. However, as I said earlier, I became drawn into the era and the lives that live through this book. Sometimes the detail evoked memories and others times, it created images upon which to gaze.
Detail in writing can get in the way or it can inflame our ability to "see" what the author is sharing ... in this case, the writing is definitely a positive attribute.
HOW OUR LIVES ARE SHAPED ...
As I moved through small experience after small experience, I was struck by how relatable Bonnie's story should be to most of us. There is pain in some places, hope in others, and a strong sense of how the author has developed her own internal strength from what she has experienced.
After all, we all live our lives mostly in small doses, easily shard with others through a series of small stories, especially when well written. Short accounts of the daily times of our lives often become valuable in retrospect.
So read this book patiently, move through it with an open mind, and I believe that you will find much to reflect on in your own Lilac Dreams.
Loving this book more than I imagined I would.
March 8, 2017
“My youth and adolescent years gave me two essential values: determination and work ethic” – Bonnie C. Hathcock
As I examined my childhood past the last decade, I learned a lot about myself and those that were a part of my life. When I was in my 20's, I never thought much about how childhood shapes a person or how some people overcome their past to achieve or why so many remain stuck. The ability to examine my past has given me the tools and skills to grow as an adult and comfort in understanding how I think and react. I was delighted to read the new book Lilac Dreams – My Journey from a Sewer Drain to the Boardroom by Bonnie C. Hathcock. Bonnie's book is a journey through her adolescence and how she was shaped to become the leader that she is today.
Bonnie C. Hathcock has 35 years of experience in corporate America. For most of those years, she held corporate leadership positions at the top of Fortune 100 and 200 corporations. Bonnie began her career at Xerox Corporation and was often the only woman in the boardroom. Bonnie recently retired and decided to come forward to share her simple but difficult childhood to help others find joy.
Bonnie’s book is not a complete journey from her childhood streets to corporate America sharing all of her successes and tribulations. Her story leads us from childhood through her college years and ends with some of her personal reflections. Initially, I was disappointed that her story did not continue to map her path to corporate success like other leadership journey books. Upon reflection, I understood why Bonnie chose the story that she shares and why she focused on certain timeframes. She wants the reader to understand her childhood with all of its pain, challenges, and disappointments. You see, these experiences shaped her and offered her stronger determination and most importantly, blessed her with an infallible work ethic. Life dealt her a weak deck of cards, but she was able to use her unique skills and strengths to become successful and impact others.
I was amazed at the details in Bonnie's journey at each stage of her life. Each detail that she shares including sights, smells, feelings, and sounds are a part of her and impacted her in some way. The details she introduces to us assist the reader in being a part of her vision. For instance, her neighbor Miss Nancy had a beautiful purple fragrant Lilac tree in her lush garden that provided Bonnie a sanctuary in which to dream. Her description of the tree and lush surroundings inject us right into the scene with her, and I could even smell lilac as I read. The tree becomes symbolic of the hopes and dreams that a young Bonnie shares with us. While you may think that the life events the author shares are just that, they are more. Not only did they add to her shame in growing up poor and humble, but they impacted her character and laid the foundation for her success as an adult.
Bonnie wants us all to reflect on those who have blessed us by being in our lives because they were instrumental in shaping us. Her parting advice to all of us is to face that which scares us, humbles us, or has limited our growth. She wrote Lilac Dreams to ultimately share her hope that we all find joy in our lives. To do so we may need to reflect on our past or face memories that we have locked away. At the end of sharing her childhood struggles, Bonnie offers a sound lesson from her life experiences, "The one lesson I have learned above all; Joy is within each one of us. We just have to choose it". Some may initially think that her story is just that, a story. However, Bonnie leads us down a path of discovery. It is up to us whether we choose to grow and be happy or if we are to remain stagnate and unhappy. Perhaps this book will help you remember some of your childhood Lilac Dreams?
As I examined my childhood past the last decade, I learned a lot about myself and those that were a part of my life. When I was in my 20's, I never thought much about how childhood shapes a person or how some people overcome their past to achieve or why so many remain stuck. The ability to examine my past has given me the tools and skills to grow as an adult and comfort in understanding how I think and react. I was delighted to read the new book Lilac Dreams – My Journey from a Sewer Drain to the Boardroom by Bonnie C. Hathcock. Bonnie's book is a journey through her adolescence and how she was shaped to become the leader that she is today.
Bonnie C. Hathcock has 35 years of experience in corporate America. For most of those years, she held corporate leadership positions at the top of Fortune 100 and 200 corporations. Bonnie began her career at Xerox Corporation and was often the only woman in the boardroom. Bonnie recently retired and decided to come forward to share her simple but difficult childhood to help others find joy.
Bonnie’s book is not a complete journey from her childhood streets to corporate America sharing all of her successes and tribulations. Her story leads us from childhood through her college years and ends with some of her personal reflections. Initially, I was disappointed that her story did not continue to map her path to corporate success like other leadership journey books. Upon reflection, I understood why Bonnie chose the story that she shares and why she focused on certain timeframes. She wants the reader to understand her childhood with all of its pain, challenges, and disappointments. You see, these experiences shaped her and offered her stronger determination and most importantly, blessed her with an infallible work ethic. Life dealt her a weak deck of cards, but she was able to use her unique skills and strengths to become successful and impact others.
I was amazed at the details in Bonnie's journey at each stage of her life. Each detail that she shares including sights, smells, feelings, and sounds are a part of her and impacted her in some way. The details she introduces to us assist the reader in being a part of her vision. For instance, her neighbor Miss Nancy had a beautiful purple fragrant Lilac tree in her lush garden that provided Bonnie a sanctuary in which to dream. Her description of the tree and lush surroundings inject us right into the scene with her, and I could even smell lilac as I read. The tree becomes symbolic of the hopes and dreams that a young Bonnie shares with us. While you may think that the life events the author shares are just that, they are more. Not only did they add to her shame in growing up poor and humble, but they impacted her character and laid the foundation for her success as an adult.
Bonnie wants us all to reflect on those who have blessed us by being in our lives because they were instrumental in shaping us. Her parting advice to all of us is to face that which scares us, humbles us, or has limited our growth. She wrote Lilac Dreams to ultimately share her hope that we all find joy in our lives. To do so we may need to reflect on our past or face memories that we have locked away. At the end of sharing her childhood struggles, Bonnie offers a sound lesson from her life experiences, "The one lesson I have learned above all; Joy is within each one of us. We just have to choose it". Some may initially think that her story is just that, a story. However, Bonnie leads us down a path of discovery. It is up to us whether we choose to grow and be happy or if we are to remain stagnate and unhappy. Perhaps this book will help you remember some of your childhood Lilac Dreams?
January 3, 2018
A warm, wonderful read. As a transplant to Shippensburg, where the book takes place, I was intrigued with landmarks and places mentioned. The book is inspirational to all generations.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews