I’ve been working from home for six weeks until today, and it’s been awesome to be able to spend so much time watching Molly grow and develop into the little person that she is. So it’s with mixed emotions as I get back on the plane today and head back to “work” in the Bay Area. This 86m flight above the clouds reveals such rich moments of reflection and clarity about life. I know they tell you how its so safe to fly but you can’t say that the thoughts of “what if…” never cross your mind once in awhile. I use the time to count the many blessing in my life and ponder my contributions. It’s unfortunate that we so easily forget about the profound in the little every-day things, and often don’t make the realizations until we fly in a jet, or whatever other larger than life experiences you may participate in.
Last night I turned on the TV, expecting to watch all the latest news about the Feds stepping into the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac situation. As I flipped through channels I was surprised to find more coverage on Tony Snow, the third White House Press Secretary under President George W. Bush, than the pains being felt in the mortgage industry. He’s a young man, older than me but younger than my parents anyways, and it was sad to me because he seems like such a great guy. The thing that I will remember about him most is the retelling of a conversation he had with Ari Fleischer prior to his passing. That in spite of the fact that nations operated under Tony’s watch at times throughout his career, holding prestigious positions in the White House, CNN, The O’Reily Factor, and according to some one of our nation’s “finest writers” that he recounted the best and most important times of his life were those which he spent with his children. Those values, to me, go much deeper than partisan politics, and I hope goes appreciated by all whether democrat, republican, or independent.
On the surface, daily headlines about our economy and world relations give enough cause to be down in the dumps about life and our nation. But don’t forget to take time out to count your blessings closer to home. Unplug yourself from WiFi and the Blackberry for awhile, and take time to think about life and your priorities as often as you can. It’s refreshing, and you will be glad you did it.
That’s my boy, always spinning a negative situation into a positive. One of the many reasons Molly and I are so lucky to have you as a husband and a dad.