A Thanksgiving Day Reflection and a Wish for All!

As I journey to see my son across the country, I am reminded and thankful to be visiting him once again at Thanksgiving.  This will be our second Thanksgiving together since he moved out of our apartment last August to start his bright and exciting career.  As a thankful reflection I like to think of how our last day together ended and the special memory that it holds for me.  The following is my recollection of the events of that day and how they have forever touched me.  

This is a father’s remembrance of his son he holds dear.

As a parent I would like to think that we all hold many loving and happy memories of being with our children.  Some of those precious moments really stand out and we will carry them with us always.  One such memory happened between my only son/child and me near the end of summer in 2012. 

We had come to the end of a wonderful chapter in our life together.  He had recently graduated from college and landed his first job as a civil engineer in an awesome city taking him thousands of miles from home for 18 months.  He had lived with me during his last two and half years of college so he could work a university sponsored practicum close to our residence.  The time came for us to say goodbye as he left our apartment for the last time to begin his epic journey into the unknown, with a bright future ahead of him. 

I thought I was emotionally at peace with him leaving, knowing I would visit him and he would be making trips back home for the holidays.  I walked him to his car and helped him load the few items he would be carrying with him on the plane.  We hugged and when I went to tell him I love him and would miss him, I suddenly choked up.  I felt the tears dam up and I couldn't speak.  He knew what I was feeling and held me tighter as he was touched by my show of emotion.  I finally found my voice and told him he would be okay and that he would do well in his new job.  The embrace ended and he slowly made his way to his car.  I stood waving and looking quite sad I’m sure. 

What my son did next really surprised me.  He had started his car and was about to drive off, when he suddenly stopped, re-parked got out of the car and came over to me.  He did not say anything at first he simply hugged me once again and then with heartfelt words he said, “I love you, Dad.”  I never felt closer to my son than I did in that moment – As I reflect back I was saying goodbye to my not so little boy whom I helped raise since he was an infant and watched as I proudly noted the grown young man bravely stepping out in the world on his own. 

Off and on that day, I cried many tears of joy, replaying that moment over and over again.  I thought how blessed I was to be saying goodbye to my son who was leaving me for a future loaded with unlimited potential and wonderful adventures.  I paused to think of other parents who have had to say goodbye to their children in dire circumstances and how hard it must be for them. 

My Thanksgiving wish for all of you who read this is that you will have special memories with your children to be thankful for and if you don't I hope you create them – it is what makes a life worth living.  

The Happiness Advantage

Discipline = Happiness 

A couple of weeks ago while on vacation, I had the pleasant opportunity to meet a very special person.  This woman had suffered a major life changing physical setback and yet she remained positive.  During our conversation she shared a video she had seen on YouTube by Shawn Achor called The Happiness Advantage.  In the video that author challenges us to take on a 21-day life changing challenge.  He stated that the research had proven that by doing a certain five things daily for 21 days that indeed you would become happy or in my case happier, which would then translate into being more productive and successful.

So - I took the challenge on with one of my friends.

The process is pretty simple and guaranteed not to take up too much time but you have to be consistent or as I translated it you have to discipline yourself to do it. I think it has been made easier by engaging one of my friends to hold myself accountable, plus that added feature of getting to read what his day was all about.  While there was no formal method for keeping track of the five items, I decided to create a template to just copy and populate each day.  Here is what Shawn says you have to do:

•   Pick 3 things that you are grateful for on a daily basis.
•   Journal about one of them – so as to relive it again and get an added benefit
•   Meditate – I Googled the Upper Room Daily Devotional for my daily meditation
•   Exercise – nothing crazy, you could go for a walk, some pushups, or whatever
•   Practice 3 random acts of kindness daily

So far, I have made it to day 7 and am looking forward to being intentional about completing the remaining days.  I am taking the attitude to think of it as though it were a personal training / development program to get me in better mental / emotional / physical / and spiritual shape.  It seems like a pretty small price to pay for a huge return on my investment.  Are you up for the challenge?  I would love to hear back from those of you who were so inspired to take it on and what you gained from the experience.  I chose the word discipline as a way to remind myself that in order to get in shape you have to exercise discipline!