I have been in the Lab Business for almost 40 years now. One of the things I enjoy most about what I do is the opportunity to meet so many new people every day. I have made some close relationships with many of my repeat patients over the years. I enjoy meeting people with different Perspectives every day. Every one of us lives in our own personal Bubble if You will. That Bubble is unique to all of us. We all come from Unique backgrounds, Unique Stories, Unique experiences. Unique Families. Some of us are fortunate to have histories that are filled with Love, Care and Concern. Many of us are destined to come from backgrounds where challenge is our middle name. Some of us have circumstances that require Grit and Determination to overcome. Some of us carry our challenging situations around like our own personal dark cloud and spill them and perpetuate them onto our own Children.
This is something that I did with both of my Children. Particularly when my Children were very Young–I could have done better. I was so focused on trying to make a living and provide enough for them–I made the mistake of not relishing the moments I was experiencing with my Children more. I have apologized to both of them for that. I should have slowed down more and realized that precious time was passing faster than I could ever know. My Children are 37 and 32 years old now. I am very close to both of them. I know they both know how much they mean to me. I worked so very much when they were very Young. Too much. I had two jobs for many of those years. I come from a family of Strivers. A history of trying to Prosper. For that I am so grateful, but it can come with a cost as well. If we are so busy in our quest to prosper that we do not take the time to live in the moment, the now, we lose those moments forever.
I am so very Proud of both of my Children. They both have become strong, vibrant, opinionated, caring souls. They both stand alone in their places in the world. I guess their Mom and I did better than I realize. Most of that came from their Mom. She did better than I did to cherish those moments when they came. I hope I didn’t twist them up too much with the negative energy I spilled on them. I Love my family, very much.
Something I have tried to embrace in my quest to be a better person– Is the conscious decision to embrace how very fortunate I am–Every day. This has helped me find Peace. It is something that I have to bring myself back to often when I stray. I try to remember to be grateful for the most simple of things. When I take my hot shower, I revel in the warm water spilling over me. I try to remember there are so many people on this planet that do not enjoy this luxury in their daily lives. When I step out onto my porch in the early morning, I breathe in the crisp, clean air and feel the Eastern Sunshine on my face. I think about the way our world is rotating just right in order to let that Sun, our Star reveal itself for another day. I revel in firing up the engine of my handsome truck that carries me to the work I enjoy so much. I feel so fortunate to work in a place where my air conditioned comfort is an every day experience. I could be working somewhere in the world that air conditioning is just a dream for many. Somewhere that could be a challenge just to get enough to eat. When I sit in my back yard and hear the birds chirping in the trees, eating from the seed in their feeder and bathing in the clean water we provide for them–I now strive to remember. I try not to take it for granted. To live in this country with all it provides and makes available for us– is something I try to cherish –Every Day. When I live in that moment, that Now, I find that my concerns are really very trivial. I strive to revel in the fact of how very fortunate I really am. I now strive to be aware of it every day. The Creator has provided me with so very much.
I hope the Creator has provided You with People, gifts and circumstances You are grateful for. Steven…