The World is Much Smaller Than You Realize.
That’s it. The lead isn’t buried in this flow of words. With the world stuck in this fantastic rut for the foreseeable future, I am blessed to reflect back 12 months as I prepare to stand with my team in 2021.
One year prior “I was in between successes”, and as the world slowed down for me as I transitioned from one chapter to the next. I purposefully took pause to enjoy what I had been unable to for decades; time with the amazing people who comprise my inner circle.
I was under the impression that my world was huge, that I was overly important, speaking here and there, handling this and that, rushing, missing out, not living.
Then the world slowed down for all, and the timing of my change (alongside 33 million other Americans) came and it couldn’t have been a greater blessing.
Instead of pouring efforts into those who didn’t notice or even appreciate, I found myself creating time and memories with family, friends, loved ones. Meals, facetimes, laughter, and sometimes jam sessions in the living room replaced speeding from place to place and managing relentless chaos. Movie nights, daytrips, and holidays (Christmas being my all-time favorite!) became the blocks on my calendar and those who truly deserved my attention received it in great measure. We celebrated, smiled, relaxed. I was able to be a fan of football again as I watched my Chiefs make it all the way to the top of the mountain, yet again. I was able to spend my oldest daughter’s last year at home before she headed away to college and we connected in ways that we will never be able to do again. I was able to live. Frank Sinatra filled our house on a daily basis and so did smiles.
I came to realize that the vast world we created for ourselves should never eclipse the wonderful one that we expect to live.
The 4,000 people I know weren’t forgotten, I just prioritized my time for the 40 that truly deserved my full attention. Without the distractions and noise that we all experience as we sprint for the brass ring, that attention was pure and unfettered and for a gleaming 5 months it was beyond glorious. The time I felt that I would be most stressed, my son gleefully referred to as my “funemployment.”
“Dad!” My son, Jordan would say, “Get out there and kayak, chill, have fun because your funemployment is going to be short. You’ve never burned a bridge in your life and you now have 1000 roads to take you to where you are going.”
Wait. What?? Did my 25-year-old son just become a philosophical genius!? Yes. Yes, he did.
So, I leave you with this. Make your world as small as possible when you can, because those who desperately want and need you are standing right beside you and they have done so since day one. Work hard, be grateful for whatever opportunity you have, and make the absolute most of it. However, don’t let one opportunity suppress the greatest opportunity you were given: to be a great daughter, son, wife, husband, mother, father, sister, brother and loyal friend.
Manage your personal world the way you would your professional world because the returns on your hard work in both cases will be directly related to your efforts.
My world is small and I’m damn proud of it because it holds everything I ever wanted and everything I will ever need.
