Thursday, June 14, 2007

Paused, Poised, And Parenting

I have the Spurs/Cavalier game paused, since I'm going to have to switch into another gear should the Spurs win and because I have a digital recorder that allows me to pause live TV.

If the Spurs win tonight, I'll head straight into work to start blowing up components of our normal morning format so we can be "all Spurs all the time." Barring a huge news event, the only thing San Antonio will be talking about Friday is the Spurs. My role for my company is in part to discern what people are talking about and make sure we're talking about it on the radio too, so with a victory, this is a no-brainer.

I need to mention though that I took down my Spurs calendar at my office today. That might seem odd, considering I have to occasionally regularly justify, at least to myself, my Spurs mania and rationalize it as not being "idol worship."

Yesterday though, which was a difficult day for a number of reasons, I got caught up in my "work mentality" and expressed some frustrations which had been churning for a while to Amy and anyone else who would pretend to listen. I also conducted a "social experiment" (another story) to prove my point about what I see as an area that needs improvement at my office.

I didn't get home until nearly one in the afternoon - I go to work at one in the morning - so I was tired, frustrated and feeling a bit down on myself.

On our porch at home I found a large Fed-Ex/Express Mail or some other "fast delivery service" envelop addressed to me. I thought it was yet another corporate proxy statement from Disney, a company in which I own one share of stock. They send me so much stuff on the business that what they spend in postage is more than my share of stock is worth. However this time the package wasn't more corporate minutiae from Disney.

But it was pretty wonderful nonetheless.

The envelope contained a calendar...made by our kids via one of those cool on line photo sites. It features photos of all three of our children (all adults now but children forever in my heart) and it was their father's day gift to me.

I really nearly broke down...and Amy might disagree on the adverb "nearly." I admit tearing up a bit and not talking a whole lot.

It is such a thoughtful gift and it came at the absolute perfect moment to serve as a vivid reminder of where I need to place value in my life.

So I took down my Spurs calendar at the office today and put the kid's calendar in its place.

The next time I let anything at my job loom large in my mind, I hope I'll remember to stare at that calendar and consider the love I am so blessed to have received by the children who have so graciously accepted me into their lives.

I adore the Spurs.

Tiffany, Joey and Lisa....I LOVE you, more than I fear I can ever express in words.