Why am I here?

Yesterday got tough after I spoke with one of my coaching clients about their Christmas and learned of a family tragedy that had occurred during the holidays.  All day I felt the tears as I thought about how unfair and hard life can be.  Turning in our driveway after a Tuesday date night supper I caught a quick glance of a large dark cat darting between cars on the parking lot across the street.  I immediately thought it might be Sweet Boy, our Norwegian Forest cat that disappeared last year, but it wasn’t.    

Thinking of Sweet Boy reminded me of his long soft fur, his high pitched meow, deep purr, and tender moments he and I shared.  Slowly my sadness moved off as I thought about other tender moments I’ve shared, like the golden sunsets when all the goodness in the universe paints the sky.  Or walking through a sea of wildflowers and feeling their smiles as they are gently kissed by the morning dew.  Our life memory moments affect how we see the world, how we treat the world, how we treat others and ourselves.  Why am I here?  For me today, it’s all about creating and sharing more tender memory moments “we” can recall on those days when life becomes unfair and hard, and we’ve lost hope.  

Engagement

Yesterday afternoon, as MaryBeth and I played with our grandkids I was reminded how hard we must work to fully engage ourselves and employees in wellness.  We first played with a box of multicolored frisbee’s  going from partner toss to a game of tossing the frisbee into a laundry basket.  They quickly lost interest as the frisbee toss games became too complicated (baby steps in wellness builds engagement), so we moved to hockey sticks and brooms with an upside down frisbee as the puck.  The oldest grandson got more engaged in broom hockey and started making up the rules (engagement takes ownership), which caught the attention of his younger brother, who began playing even harder.  I found a plastic bat and ball in the garage and for a short time we had a batter and pitcher, but our baseball game didn’t last long for it only involved two players and got boring quick (wellness engagement happens by meeting our needs and interest).  Next I dumped a backpack full of small rubber balls onto the driveway and Auggie, our dog, went wild chasing the grandkids and balls.  What fun!  Yes, fun and celebration are important ingredients of wellness engagement.   When it was almost time to break up the fun I brought out my old cornet I played in high school.  With MaryBeth’s help (professional support is great, but peer support is critical for engagement), our youngest grandson blew what sounded like Jingle Bells and became mesmerized by the different sounds he could make.  How will you successfully ENGAGE yourself or your employees this year in being well?

Step into 2016

Who have you become, and where are you going, and how will you be the best you in 2016?  This past week the January issue of Workforce: Business & Strategy and Management journal featured me as their profile piece.  They interviewed me about two months ago and sent a photographer to take pictures at my favorite places around MD Anderson.  Each time I read the profile I smile at a few errors, like I was 5 when my mom was diagnosed with colon cancer not her, and I tried hard to get assigned to an airborne unit in my Army tour, but never got released from my MP duties protecting nuclear weapons.  I also feel the tears as I read and go back to medivac rides where I held dying soldiers in my arms, and breaking my back after my Army tour in a freak car accident that changed where life would take me.  When I think about who I have become I can’t help but thank so many others that have helped me stretch and grow.  Bob Patton & Peter Raven at UNT, Dr. Ed Bernacki at Tenneco, and Dr. Georgia Thomas and Paul Kattapong at MD Anderson.  Being my best is getting harder as my daily oral chemo’s challenge my stamina, but I’m learning to better pace myself, and focus on the daily wellness practices that sustain not just my energy, but how I feel about myself.  If you haven’t already, take the time today to consider who you have become, where you are going, and how you will be the best you in 2016.  Then get ready to stretch and grow as you mentor others, and others mentor you.   

Workforce Article

Being the Best You in 2016

The last few weeks I’ve been leading meditation walks for patients, caregivers, and employees at the labyrinth on the east side of the Texas School of Public Health.  Drawings of labyrinths have been found in prehistoric rock art across the globe and have been used in many of the world’s religions for growth and renewal.  Unlike a maze with its twists, turns, false starts, and dead ends (for some a metaphor for our life journeys), a labyrinths simple journey frees our minds to relax and search for peace, love, and express gratitude, hope, and love.  Walking a labyrinth can move us closer to resolving inner conflict or discomfort, and can still our minds giving us clarity as we walk to the center of our souls. 

How have you reflected on 2015, gained and accepted new life learnings, and prepared yourself for being the best you can be in 2016?  New Year's resolutions or setting new goals are not enough.  Sharing my labyrinth walks the past few weeks, watching the tears as others let go, listening to walkers at they talk about the clarity or peace the walk gave them, renewed my belief in the importance of the quiet space gained through practices like a labyrinth walk.  On this last day of 2015 take the time to reflect on who you are, where you are going, and how you will be the best you can be in 2016.  Happy New Year!

Christmas Day

I got up early and watched the lake mist greet the rising sun and usher in a new day.  It’s was an amazing Christening ceremony as the geese across the lake declared it was Christmas.  We kayaked after a light breakfast silently gliding across the calm glass covered lake singing our favorite Christmas carols and following a small Blue Heron whose disappearing reflection in the water reminded me of life’s temporariness.  My stamina has been decreasing as my chemo fatigue increases, so after a late brunch, I slept most of the afternoon, waking just in time to catch the early rise of the full moon.  She danced with the building storm clouds like I dance with my chemo fatigue and several times I caught her peeking through the tall pines, and I felt hope as my passion for life was reflected in her dance and presence.  Dance with life today!

Past Christmas Memory Moments

Did you see the moon last night?  She was well hidden by the dark storm clouds, and would peek out every few minutes reminding me of lost memory moments of past Christmases.  Kaleb’s second Christmas he had just turned 1, he was between crawling and walking.  We had no money so we bought him a second-hand plastic riding horse with wheels for $5.  Instead of wrapping it we put it inside a pillowcase, and I so remember him crawling inside the pillowcase, which left only his legs and diaper sticking out as he tried to back out with the horse.  And then there was the Christmas Kaleb was around 2 or 3 and he came into the kitchen with blood dripping from his mouth.  He had pulled a small glass ornament off the tree and bit into it thinking it was candy.  After that experience, we only had wood or paper ornaments on our trees.  After the 1989 rare snow fall, I have fond memories of the whole family making snowballs from the snow left on the two cars and making a miniature snowman.  Make Christmas memory moments this year to be unwrapped years from now as an inside smile.  

Good to be Home

                                                      

Our Mexico vacation was great, but it feels so good to be home.  As we turned into our driveway, we watched Sun Dance our outdoor cat slowly climbed out of his fleece-lined bed and Auggie (our Lagotto Romagnolo) couldn’t wait to get out of the car and give Sun Dance kisses. 

Last Thursday, while watching the storm clouds begin to take over the blue sky, I learned of the passing of Harry, a fellow cancer thriver.  Before the hard rain came, I cried storm tears for my loss, his family's loss, and the loss that will be felt by the many communities he served as MD Anderson’s Chief Diversity Officer.  Today, I celebrate Harry’s life and how much he taught us about the transformational power of heart-led living for individuals, teams, and communities.  Today, let joy push out my tears, for Harry has gone home.