So honestly I'm still trying to figure out why I'm writing a blog. I haven't told anyone I'm writing a blog, and frankly I didn't really know what one was until I found out that a friend of mine was writing a blog. I'd never really read a blog, didn't know how to start one, didn't know anything about it, and frankly I'm still kinda flying blind here, as you can tell by the lack of creative design on this blog. Well, if I continue doing this perhaps I'll learn more about how to "Jazz it up" in the future but for now I'll stick with what I've got, because honestly it took everything just to figure out how to get this far. I should have asked our teenage daughter about it, she likely would have looked at me and said, "Dad.... Seriously! This is easy!" as only a teenager could say. Then she'd click a few buttons and just like that my "blog" would look amazing. Technologically speaking I'm still in the VCR days. Stop laughing, because many of you likely are too.... Then again if you found this blog you're likely well ahead of me. By the time I figure it all out, blogs will be a thing of the past and everyone will be have heads up display systems on their contacts that will be linked to their cell phones.
It's now been several weeks since the loss of a very good friend of mine. A friend I didn't see nearly enough and that's why I chose the title for this post "A New Road". My lovely wife Wendy, whom I cherish very much, along with our Children are the center of our Universe and I've always been grateful for what I have. We are truly blessed and it took the loss of a truly great person for me to really sit back and take a look at my life. It's been nearly 10 years since the release of the song "My Next 30 Years" by Tim McGraw and I remember thinking back then that I was happy with my first 30 but I wanted my next 30 to be even better. That was 10 years ago!!! I'm already 1/3rd of the way through my next 30 and while I'm a good person, a good Dad, and a good Husband I'd really only give myself a C+ for the past 10 years in terms of accomplishing some of the things I said I wanted to accomplish. That's still a passing grade but it's not anything to look back at and say "WOW". Granted I'm likely much harder on myself than others would be, but it's time for the "New Road" and that new road was inspired by the way a good friend lived his life in his first 40 years.
I've spent much more time talking to God, and thanking him for what we have. Some might think that's corny but I don't. He's all around us each and every day. He's at work, He's in our kids, He's everywhere and He's not hard to find all you have to do is talk to Him. You may not think you get an answer right away but He answers us each and every time. It might take a while to hear it or see it but the answer is there. The more you talk to Him the more you hear and see. Call me goofy if you like, try it and see for yourself.
My friend Steve did everything right and one day he got let go from Sprint and he built his own business and that business focused on helping other people. I've been seriously thinking about starting my own business because it's something I've always been interested in doing and I'm starting to take the initial steps to do just that. They're baby steps at this point but you have to crawl before you can walk right? At least I'm heading in the right direction. Ironically I had the idea for this business and after Steve's passing I put a post up on my Linkedin Account that said, "Lost a great friend to a tragic accident this past weekend. Call someone you haven't talked to in a while just to say hello!" Shortly after doing that someone contacted me that I haven't talked to since College and we had lunch together. Before that lunch meeting we were talking about my business idea and he has two companies of his own. He felt my idea was sound and he said, "Go for it and when you come across a hurdle JUMP OVER IT! Don't let anyone stand in your way." I'm starting to look at what it would take to start my own business. That would be a very 'New Road' for my Wife and I to take but how sweet it would be if we succeed!
I've promised myself that I would make sure and read the Bible. Not just a little bit here and there but from cover to cover. I don't want to get to the pearly gates and have to look St. Peter and God in the eye and say, "No, I'm sorry I didn't read the Bible". I don't think the excuse of, "I didn't have the time" would work do you? Me either.
I think I should be an organ donor as well. Steve's wife Melissa said that Steve helped at least 50 people by being an organ donor. That even includes his corneas. Can you imagine being able to help give someone else the gift of sight. How AMAZING would that be!!!!
I'd also like to learn how to play the guitar because I absolutely love music and I always have. So in the next 10 years I hope to be much further down this "New Road" playing the guitar, owning my own business, having read the entire Bible, becoming an organ donor, and being well on my way to making certain that my Wife and Children are well taken care of in the event that anything tragic ever happens to me. I have some of that taken care of but I have a feeling I need to do much more. "The New Road" will be exciting, a challenge, a learning experience, and a great journey to take with my beloved Wife Wendy, who Melissa reminded me to "Cherish" and I plan to do just that as best I can.
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