Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Giving Thanks

Some days have far more battles in them than others.  For those of you in sales doesn't it seem every encounter during the process is intentionally designed to fluster and confound you.

End user stage creates unrealistic goals expected in ungodly timeframes.

Your vendors customer care concerns itself more with bottom line rather than personal attention and overall satisfaction.

Delivery finds itself reliant on oversized logistics companies.  Tracking packages and proof of deliveries become endless puzzles consuming massive amounts of time.

And then the after market...  headed back to the scene of the crime in an effort to clean up all the prior messes.

Wrong size?  Color?  Damage?  The UPS driver was surly?

It's all a bloody war.  Taxing and frustrating each step of the way.

Then you head home.  And Timmy needs braces.  Marcia got a C- on her Algebra final.  The water heater needs to be replaced.

Long story short...  sometimes you just need to leave it all behind.

Which makes the short trip South beginning tomorrow all the more special.

I came from a pretty solid family life.  My wonderful parents will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary later this year.  They are the definition of the American Middle Class.  Couple of lifelong residents who fell in love, chased the normal existence that was work, home, values, family, and pretty much made it their bitch.

They never had much, but they wanted for nothing.

Modest little house (15k or something 40 some years ago.)  Doing all they can to see I could go to college.  No one ever went to college.  If I got there that would signify some upward mobility.  Making sure the next generation will have more.

It's the basic model I find myself trying to emulate.  What can I do to give my daughter more?  What is the secret?

So it comes as no surprise that these wonderful, unselfish people would send my family on vacation.  And my sisters family too.

Truth is last year kinda sucked.

And a vacation really isn't in the budget this year.

But rather than "give you money (I mean what could be there anyway, really??- I wonder) when we die," my mother said.  "We want to see that you all have a great time together while we are here to see it."

It's amazing.  It's humbling.

It is most welcome.

These days when things are moving so fast and days fly by like so many softball pitches, or spelling tests, we NEED to enjoy the fleeing moments.

If a movie comes out that piques your interest, go see it.

A band that you heard good things about, hear it.

You cannot take it with you.  And why would you want to?

Thank you mom and dad for your generosity.  Thank you for your unyielding kindness and example.

See you guys next week.

Hope you have a terrific Memorial Day weekend and plenty to smile about.

1 comment:

  1. That was so nice!! Have fun on your vacation!!

    ReplyDelete