Organizational Courage

"You Got a Pen?"

Don't you just love those energetic and inspiring beings who see the best of who you are? When I'm around these people the "JP" they see is smarter, funnier, bolder and more courageous than the "JP" I'm familiar with. It's not that I'm not my authentic self around them: I am. But somehow what they see and reflect back to me is the best of me.

I was lucky enough to have dinner with one of those people tonight. Hours after the table is cleared I'm still smiling.

My colleague and friend John Nielson is a brilliant creative writer. He was recently at a conference talking about his new book "Toe Jam and the Toenail Fairies".  John talked about how kids would get so excited - a real live author! - and ask him for his autograph. Now John's a modest guy. His reaction was "Um, sure...got a pen?"

Who are the inspiring people in your world - home, work, wherever - who see you with that lense? The lense that holds you as bolder, brighter, smarter, wittier, more lovable than you normally see yourself?

OUCH!

Did everyone have fun frolicking in this weekend's snow? Yeah, me too. Until I broke my ankle.

OK, that wouldn't have been so bad. No fun, but I've broken stuff before. But then I realized I couldn't drive. And I might need surgery. And it flippin' hurt to move. And my husband was scheduled to leave town for a week. Uh oh.

He asked me (with naked fear on his face) whether I wanted him to cancel the business trip. I said 'no thanks'. I have friends. There are taxis. It'd work out.  And after all, if I were in his shoes, I'd do the same. (Offer, mean it, hope like hell he said 'no thanks'.) And I really meant it. It was fine. Yes, it would be great if he were going to be around, but it wasn't a tragedy that he had to travel. (My husband is fairly involved in an acquisition, trying to make the transition go smoothly for his team and his company. They're under tight deadlines. A lot of people are counting on him.) Hell, I'm a big girl.

But as I tried to explain this to a long-distance buddy of mine this morning, it was a little confusing. A little less clear. My buddy is a fire fighter. If he needs time off for family, he takes it. The department finds someone from another team to take his place for that shift (or 'hitch' as I understand they call it). That level of clarity seems so....soothing. As I tried to explain 'corporate america' to him, I faltered. What seemed so obvious to me over the weekend seemed suddenly less distinct.

None of this is intended to throw my husband under the bus marked "judgment". My point is that I would have had the same wish to meet both obligations to family and work. I assumed he would get on that plane (he did). What's painful - perhaps even more painful than my ankle - is the realization that I would have too.