Summer Sabbatical

Like a movie, life has specific scenes that stick in our minds. 

Like this one:

It was Springtime 1973. I was driving north on Geyer Road in my hometown of Kirkwood, Missouri. A high school friend was riding shotgun. We were Seniors. Soon, friends would disperse like dandelion seeds.

As we approached Kirkwood Park, my friend turned to me and asked, “Do you think you will accomplish anything great in your life?” I wasn’t sure what she was getting at. Did she see something in me, or was it a rhetorical question? 

I didn’t answer immediately.  Finally, I replied, “Yes, I honestly think I am destined to accomplish something meaningful!”

Ah, the hubris of youth.

Fast-forward fifty-one years. I graduated from college, landed a good job, married, helped raise a family, served on volunteer boards, and published a book! 

Perhaps you’ve noticed I’m avoiding the question. 

The answer is no. I haven’t accomplished anything I consider great in my life. That’s a sobering admission. 

Thinking about legacy accomplishments is strange. They can turn out differently than we expect. Recently, a friend who earned a PH.D and became a Chief U.S. Trade negotiator and an Undersecretary of Agriculture passed away. People I spoke with didn’t mention any of that. Instead, they reflected on how he helped them in their careers. Maybe that’s a clue?

If asked today whether I will accomplish something great, I would like to answer yes, but the real answer is I don’t know. Perhaps writing something meaningful could be a legacy accomplishment. I have an idea for a book with that potential. 

The book would address the challenge of finding happiness and peace amidst personal difficulties. That could be helpful, especially now. People have lost their sense of optimism; depression and anxiety are epidemics.

Hemmingway reminds us of a hopeful truth in A Farewell To Arms:

“The world breaks everyone

And afterward,

Many are strong in the broken places.”

Watching our son struggle with his disability is hard. He’s endured countless surgeries and suffered the frustration of not being able to do things other people take for granted. And now, his health is in decline. Some traumas occur suddenly, like a car accident, a heart attack, a cancer diagnosis, or the death of a loved one. Daniel’s trauma remains fresh and continues to impact his life and ours.

Life can be a bitch! 

Everyone carries a burden. Often, it’s hard to accept what fate casts our way. How, then, do we find strength in our broken places? That will be the theme of my book, The Secret Within. I like to think it might positively impact someone’s life. 

The Secret Within has been on my mind for many years. I have an outline but haven’t made any progress beyond that. Organizing thoughts over the expanse of a hundred pages is more challenging than making sense of five hundred words. I like writing blog posts, and I don’t want to give that up, but I want to take a crack at this book. So, I’ve decided to take a summer sabbatical from weekly blog posts to work on it. If I get anywhere I might break it down into installments for future posts.

Thank you for reading my blog.

Have a wonderful summer!

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Proceeds are donated to support individuals suffering from anxiety and/or depression.