Twenty Years

I spent a lot of the last few days in meetings and on the road.  In the past, this always meant I had a lot of time to think.  Historically when I would come off the road, the people who work around me just waited for a download of the things I worked out while traveling.  This week was different.

This week I spent time wondering how I lost twenty years.  I was thirty - then I was fifty and there just wasn’t twenty years of time in between.  Don’t misunderstand me; there are some great memories in there: having children and watching them grow; friends and acquaintances; both good and great adventures.  However, there just aren’t twenty years of memories in there.  So, upon deeper thought and consideration, it strikes me that the part that I can not remember is the work.  Most of my work history during this time was spent in the lumber industry, both retail and distribution.   I learned a ton, all of which I remember, but I can’t remember the time itself.  Do you suppose this was a survival mechanism, or a flaw in me?

Those twenty years were hard years.  The greatest chunk of time was spent working at Payless Cashways, fighting to save a company that wasn’t to survive.  I can say that now, looking back; but when in the middle of the fight, it was impossible to have the long view that history brings.  The group of people that I worked with was (and still is) very committed to companies that we worked for, spending untold hours and long weeks making sure everything was (and is) done at the highest possible level.  It was the right thing to do.  Or was it?

So, from my travel and thought processes this week comes the following challenge - not to the people that I work with, like usual - but rather to myself and each of you.  How do we make sure that our children, our friends and even our future selves, don’t get lost while doing the right thing for the job?  How do we make sure that we capture every day as a gem to hold and remember?  How do I make sure that I teach this to my son and daughter?

Well, the first thing I am going to do is talk about it … a lot.  This is the beginning, but it isn’t the end.

Thanks for taking this little detour into my thoughts.  The next thing that you will hear from me about will be mancave stuff again.  I have a couple of GREAT thoughts going on there.