A few weeks ago I enjoyed a wonderful article by local pastor and spiritual leader, Dave Willis, of Stevens Creek Church here in Augusta, GA. There, he touched upon the importance of valuing diversity, creativity, change, excellence, and, most of all, our youth. He concluded the inspirational piece with the power of smiles.
In doing so, Dave used an analogy that really brought these points home. He shared the magic of Disney World and why it's a place that brings us all great warmth and a feeling of belonging...
Now, I bring up Disney World and the wonderful blog post by Dave Willis to discuss how we all have those times when we say to ourselves...
This is not where I want to be!
While Father's Day may be over for those of us on the East coast, I'm sure many of us dads are still pondering the day's events, while dads on the West coast may very well still be enjoying some family festivities. Whether you're a father, a mother, a mother that's also a father, or just a curious soul, I'd like to share some thoughts about the future of our world: our youth and the role of fathers.
For Father's Day, I got the neatest little time piece. Admittedly, this gift was quite compelling and I had to choke back some tears. As the man of the house, I try to stay strong for the family, even when I may be breaking down inside. That's what we REAL men do, right?
This gift was truly touching and I hope I really expressed my gratitude (sometimes we forget to really be sincere and let loose, be a little vulnerable, when it really counts). I sometimes feel that my family does not appreciate my work or even listen to me. Being a creative engineer, as I like to call it, it's hard to explain the urgency of your life's work (as Stephen R Covey would say, First Things First
) and get others to buy into it.
"You'd be surprised to find out who has been listening when you finally stop to listen yourself."
Apparently, someone was paying attention. I'm an organizational nut, sometimes to a fault, so things like notepads, writing/drawing utensils, organizers, whiteboards, reference books, etcetera, etcetera.. These are the things that truly excite me (I'm a geek, after all). The time piece came with a simple inscription stating "The Greatest Dad". Wow.. Did THAT tug on my heart strings.
