Recovery Observations

In the previous post, Breakthrough,  I wrote about how I was recently sick. Here are some observations after finally recovering:

The family pet (in our case a dog named BonBon) is often a reflection of the family’s emotional health. If BonBon is a mess, it means our family is out of sync in some way.

Kids thrive on structure and routine. Remove or disrupt it, and they don’t function well.

Stop working for 9 days and the world moves on. The important projects your working on aren’t really as important as you think. Take time to pause, reflect and savor life. Get of the treadmill every once in awhile.

I wouldn’t function very well as a human being without my wife. I’m not as independent as I often think. We annoy and aggravate each other a lot, but we both need each other. We’re complete together, incomplete apart.

Family is important. Without our family here in San Diego (they mostly live in New Orleans), going through a tough time is even more difficult. Family support makes the tough times easier.

Friends are critical. With no family in San Diego, we had to rely on friends for help. My son’s teacher took all three of the kids one night for ice-cream and spent the evening with them. Another couple, Jim an Margi, took all three of our kids over their house for the evening and brought Joey (my 8 year old) to school the next day. My other two kids are home schooled, so Jim took them to a movie the next day.

We’re fortunate to experience good quality medical care in the U.S. I’ve recently partnered with a small orphanage in Uganda. While I was sick, one of the kids in that orphanage caught malaria and another got hit by a vehicle on the way to school. Both got medical care and are fine now. But I wonder if they get the kind of medical care we experience here in the U.S.. What about all the kids and people in the world who don’t? We’re blessed! I also think we hold a responsibility to help those less fortunate.

We take our health and relationships for granted. I’m fortunate to be a healthy 36 year old guy with a beautiful wife and three amazing kids.

Life is short. So, live it to the fullest. Take risks and lean into uncertainty in worthwhile adventures. Avoid the safe, predictable path. We only have one life to live, so make it a great one!