This past week was awesome. I practiced integrating work and life in a big way.
Monday was a typical client day.
Tuesday featured clients in the morning, lunch with the Miss, client calls in the afternoon and then a late afternoon drive to St. Louis. Wednesday was another amazing practice with my “shoe” friends. They tore it up as usual. Even better this time as a few more folks are starting to “believe.” Very cool.
Wednesday night I was back in the car and headed to Salina, Kansas. Home of Marie Logan Scott, my Mom. The drive was uneventful until about Topeka and then the fireworks started. The rain came in buckets and the lightning was amazing. The entire sky was lit. I arrived home a little before midnight and was greeted by a smiling Marie. She was up well past her bed time but it didn’t matter, she was so glad to see me. She had made me a bowl of sliced oranges and bananas, just like old times. I gobbled them up in no time. We talked for awhile and then both turned in, exhausted.
Thursday we met my old friend, Birdman, for coffee. My Mom and I hung with him and listened to his story. His bride had just been diagnosed with brain cancer a couple months back and they’ve been battling ever since. Her prognosis isn’t good. We cried together. AND, we prayed. My Mom prayed like she and God were best friends. She just did.
We said goodbye to Birdman and headed out for a tour of Salina. I drove Mom around and she pointed out all the new parks, homes, businesses, and streets. We went by some old familiar spots and I even found a few places that Mom didn’t know were there. She really enjoyed the drive and commented that she just mostly goes to the store and back, to the Church and back, to her friends and back, and that it was really nice to “slow down” and look around. Funny, huh?
My Mom did most of the talking, all I did was intently listen and pipe up with a question or comment every once in awhile. She had so much to tell me.
Later that day we would have lunch at the Hickory Hut and then onto dinner at some new Italian place that was very good as well. Prior to that we would go the airport and watch the jets practice their takeoff’s and landings. We sat in amazement as they seemingly floated in and then turned and burned into the sky.
We laughed a bunch.
Friday I went for a morning ride and got lost in the Kansas countryside. I wasn’t really lost, just on some new roads that turned into dirt. Upon returning home I was treated to a wonderful breakfast and then out for another drive with Mom. We drove around another part of town this day and Mom loved it too. We talked about her childhood some more. I heard more stories about the dust bowl years and the depression. I loved hearing my Mom’s perspective and noticing the strength and virtue that she’s woven into her character. I was inspired.
We were just getting ready to turn for home when I thought we should go by Lakewood. As we drove into the entrance Mom commented about how new everything looked at this park and how beautiful it all was. She said that a TON during these two days. It looked alright, I guess.
We drove around the back of the lake and came to a fork in the road. The left took us out and the right took us further in the park where we hadn’t been before. I asked Mom which way to go, “right” she said. The road didn’t go very far before it “dead ended.” We stopped to turn around and again Mom commented how beautiful it was. It was pretty, I guess, but there were some seriously large power lines spoiling the view..
Mom, just saw what was BEAUTIFUL.
As I drove back to Columbus my mind kept wandering to my Mom’s perspective. She’s 85 and she’s lived alone now for over 14 years. Her knees are shot, her arthritis is chronic, her son is 860 long miles down I 70, and her daughters aren’t local either. She was abandoned as a 5 year old by her father, she lived through dust storms and great depressions. Her perspective…
She sees what is BEAUTIFUL.
Thanks, Mom, for the perspective…
AND, Marie, you are BEAUTIFUL.
BUILT TO LEAD 