ENDEAVOR TO PERSEVERE

  A close friend of mind mentioned something to me recently that was simple, yet so thought provoking. I feel compelled to share it. He said that there is something about me that he has always admired throughout the years. He said, “one thing you always seem to have in your life is Traction ”. He went on to explain what he meant. So then I thought about... What does it mean to live a life with “ traction ”? I started to write down my thoughts. Traction is... Forward momentum both Uphill and Downhill Grip No spinning wheels No sliding Have you ever lost traction ? Very helpless and humbling feeling. I remember one day I was driving my 4-wheel drive pickup up a very steep slope with two friends along. We were hunting in the Colorado mountains. I made it about 80% up the incline. Forward momentum stopped. Wheels spinning. Before long we were moving backwards at increasing speed. My friend said, “are we in reverse?” I said, “No. we are sliding!” And, we slid at ...

It's been way too long since I have posted to this blog. I have no excuses. (Well, I have plenty of them, actually........writers block, way too busy, no one reads anyway, etc.) But, here I am, and my writers block is hopefully cured........ So......….We’ve all heard it before, for certain.  In a fit of frustration or anger, someone will b lurt out “jesus christ” as if this term is synonymous with other ways we may choose to curse as an English speaking human culture. Recently I was watching a movie on television, “edited for TV”. At various times in the movie, the censors had removed some key words that started with “S” and “F” as they normally would.  However, when the name “god” came up, they would bleep out “god” and keep the “damn”. So, that was nice to hear. Yet, when it came to “jesus” or “christ sake”, those didn’t make the cut list. ?? dozens of "JC's" as if it were as common as any other commonly accepted curse. Interesting. And, I’ve thought about i...

For me, it was one of those rare encounters that could only be from God. A “divine appointment” if you will. Where the circumstances by which you get connected with someone are so random and unexplainable, that you are left to just say……..Wow. A have a new friend, and I do not think I need permission to share his name, or paraphrase his story. We met for lunch a couple of weeks ago, and now I cannot stop thinking about him and what he represents. Our connection was brought about by tragedy. A mutual friend lost to a tragic crash, at a far too young age. For me, this year of 2018 is going to be marked by tragedies. My post from early summer entitled “The Great Equalizer” was a way of grieving friends who are lost from us too soon. And, only weeks later, another of my closest friends perished in a motorcycle accident. All these tragedies are adding up. In late September, another tragedy stuck, this time in Alaska, resulting in an untimely death of a young businessman a...

Every so often, it taps us on the shoulder. We are startled and shaken, and left to wonder.......again.   Sometimes, it isn't so gentle, and blindsides us with a sucker punch to the gut.   But, there is no mistaking it. We avoid the topic at all costs. We wish we didn't have to talk about it, or think about it. But we can't help it, because as humans it is, and remains, one of those mysteries of life that cannot be fully understood. It defies all boundaries of race, wealth, demographic. It is not reserved for the old or necessarily terminal. We can be certain of it; we just don't know the time. Another dear friend has passed. Today he will be buried, along with plenty of unfulfilled hopes and dreams. One day building a vacation home, next day planning a golf game. And he is gone. Retired early by some measures, and anxious to enjoy the coming years in relaxation, comfort, and celebration. Gone. Can we rationalize this, or do we ...

The year was 2013, on a snowy fall evening. Karen and I were visiting good friends in the mountain town of Glenwood Springs. We have known them for several years, and have enjoyed some great times together and with our children. They had moved recently, and we were in the area for an overnight visit. (actually, come to think of it, the weather was awful, and we were a bit stranded) As we entered their home, we both took notice of an interesting piece of art in the front entry. It said, "Family Mission Statement." Curious. Nice conversation piece. But the more we inquired, the more we were intrigued by this concept that had been placed on their hearts a couple years earlier. They had learned of this idea at a marriage retreat, and decided they would capitalize on it. They sat down with their four children, and they asked some pointed questions. "What do we want our family to be known for?" "How are we going to treat each other?" "What...

For the better part of 10 years, it was a little tag line at the end of every email I wrote, under my signature.   Do you remember when this was cool? It wasn't that long ago that most everyone had some sort of motto or message. Long before emojis and other logos.   Did I think it was cool? I don't know. I suppose.   I think I wondered if anyone would ever notice, or question it. Or better yet, that they would know what it meant or where it came from.   During the peak of my management career, I was receiving an average of 120 emails a day, and cranking out approximately 75 of my own. (But who's counting)   Let's be conservative...   Over a 10 year period, with an average of 48 weeks a year (I had a nice vacation package), and 75 emails a day, that's on the order of 180,000 emails generated by me.   Guess how many ever questioned my tag line, or knew what it referred to?   One.   Yes, one lone soul out there wa...