I’m learning, slowly but surely, that leadership is a lot less fixing and a lot more listening.
Tonight, while the boys were at band practice, I surprised my three daughters after dinner by taking them for ice cream instead of putting them to bed. We stopped by the car wash on the way, and one of the twins compared it to Disneyland, a place neither of us has visited. Later, as we all shared a banana split at the beach, the other twin squealed out of nowhere and said I LOVE MY LIFE. We call that a spurt around here. I feel you, sister.
Samson died today. At nearly fifteen years of age, that dog was a presence, a balm, a glue for every stage of our family’s life to date. There was an odd feeling of departure in watching him breathe his last this afternoon, as if some sort of tether had been cut and I was forced to say goodbye to an old life. An anchor? A balloon? Doesn’t matter. Farewell, old friend. Thanks for being you, beside me, for all of those years.
I sent this to my friend today, but it deserved a permanent place. Married life is sending each other the same bird-related reel, I guess. I don’t mind.
Tonight I headed to the ER instead of home, as I’d heard things were popping and I wanted to check on the staff. Sure enough, the stress was palpable when I arrived. Every bay was full, with people waiting in the lobby and the parking lot.
Now, I am not an ER nurse. I have never been an ER nurse. I do not know how to be an ER nurse. But I do know how to find the person everyone else is looking to for answers, and I do know how to offer to help. That’s exactly what I did.
I spent the next two hours wiping down rooms once they were empty, changing linens and making beds ready for the next patient. That was all the team needed from me. Eventually, my husband and kids picked me up, and we stuffed ourselves outside of an Indian food truck.
I share this not to brag, but to remind myself for the future — leadership is not easy, and it never comes without cost… but it is often quite simple.
My grandparents would have celebrated 73 years married today. I can still hear my Papa’s voice, sharing one of his favorite bits of wisdom, applied to everything from carpentry to marriage. It will work if you are consistent.
The leather jacket that’s seen several years and hundreds of hours of wear time. The basket of tulips my children selected for our neighbor’s birthday. The smiles on friends and strangers alike, as we meander through today’s farmer’s market. #getaftergrateful
