A moment to cherish and an opportunity to breathe…

Today was a special Father’s Day for me as I was able to spend it with my Dad for the first time in several years. For sixteen years I have lived far from my parents and it was through the love and thoughtfulness of my Mom that my Dad secured a ticket for his quick jaunt to see my wife and me. It is a great and special opportunity to reconnect in a very personal way and to be able to listen to his great stories and funny adventures. Thanks, Dad! (Thanks, Mom!)
While he is here I am constantly offered the choice between worrying about my upcoming summer work and living in the moment. It can be a challenge for me. I hope I reach a point where I do not regularly fear being unprepared for my job… This time with my Dad is such a special gift. I must remember this and put the *living* of each second ahead of worry about future moments.

Tipping Point

With all of the press surrounding An Inconvenient Truth, I was reminded of the concept of the “tipping point.” On the radio I heard Al Gore interviewed regarding the film and he mentioned that the term can describe the moment at which human consciousness about a problem reaches critical and a majority of people suddenly become aware. It could also be used to describe the point at which a runaway reaction of the environment begins, although I do not know if it is used in this context in the film (I have not seen it.). In my own life I have wondered about a personal tipping point that was reached sometime in my last job. Up to and surrounding that point I see a fuzzy haze and I do not know what specific event or events triggered the change in my personality that has led me to become a more impatient and agitated person. I remember a specific moment on a specific day at which I felt extreme contentment and joy. “This is where my life should be.” I also remember wondering about how long it would last. Something(s) having to do with my work – something(s) that invited me to feel powerless and helpless. I don’t have clarity on what triggered the tip… I know that after that point and ever since, I am more easily frustrated by the everyday mishaps that are simply life. When something minor in the scheme of things trips me up, I wonder why I have negative emotion and do not easily let things slide. Why is it so hard for me to take my wife’s advice to simply breathe? Why do I resist and lash out? I am sorry that she only knows me after the tipping point because our relationship suffers for my lack of perspective and inability to roll with the punches. I cannot easily put aside the concerns of the day or tomorrow or next week and just live. The artwork that she created for me for my birthday reminds me to live in my life. That is my goal…