Addition by Subtraction

This week a friend who was way too young died as a result of bleeding on his brain.  This time last week he was alive and well.  On Monday he was gone.  Many of you may have had a lot more experience dealing with sudden and unexpected losses in your life.  Fortunately for me, I have not.  It hurts like crazy and I am having a hard time answering questions like "why him?" 

Whether it's a life changing loss or something forgotten by the end of the day none of us like to give up something (or someone) we rely on and think is absolutely necessary for our well-being.  When it comes to the life changing events we find that there are truly very few things we really need.  Health is certainly at the top of the list.  Loss is hard.  Change is hard.  Yet, through our struggles we grow stronger.  This is true in life, friendships and business. 

What's true in nature is true in our lives as well.  Sometimes in order to grow in to the full measure of what we were created to be we have to be pruned in order to achieve full growth.  Pruning hurts and nobody ever wants to go through it.  Oftentimes people look at change as pruning.  There are people that would rather hide in a closet than have to experience change.  Even those who say they like it are not totally comfortable with it because with change come uncertainty.  Is it really possible to embrace pruning and change?  Candidly, I'm not sure.  I am sure that the closer we can get to that state of mind the better we will be able to succeed after change, loss or pruning has come.

There may be some changes that you never fully recover from.  My friend's wife of 27 years will never stop missing her husband and his children their father.  Knowing them though I know that through their hurt they will find the ability to gain strength and live life better in spite of their pain.  This is an inspiration and a challenge to me.  Not only does it minimize what I think my problems are but it shows me that love, determination and faith triumphs tragedy.  I cannot think of a better example of living life to its fullest than that.

I have heard it said that the only thing certain in this life is change.  We may not like it but I am challenged after this week to look at it differently.  Life isn't fair, life isn't always easy.  If we count our blessings, determine to thrive as we go through difficult times and find ways to create some good out of those times then we will successfully find that though we may bruised and beaten we are not defeated.  Conquer your challenges and embrace uncertainty my friends!  Add what only you can as you go through your trials and tribulations.  If you do, everyone wins. 

The Cure for the Summertime Blues

The older I get the more it seems what gets the most attention in the media is how bad the economy is and how crazy the weather has gotten.  Both may be a result of neglect on all of our parts to make sure that we are doing everything we can to protect this world we live in while holding accountable those elected to public office with the hopes of helping to create a better (economic) future for ourselves and our children.  Those are different topics for a different day. 

It is human nature that no matter how good things may be we all long for years gone by when "things were better."  Business was better, the weather was better, our children behaved better, it was easier to travel on summer vacations, etc.  You name it, and add a few year's gap to anything and we seem to forget the difficulties and remember only the good things.  Never mind the struggles we faced and obstacles we overcame.  Those are long forgotten.  Meanwhile, our world continues to be redefined by new products, technological capabilities and industries that have been created that we never realized were necessary but we now can't live without.  Don't believe me?  Open your eyes the next time you go "surfing the net."

Once again this summer I just returned from a week at my church's Youth Camp as a counselor for 8th grade boys.  I can't say for sure if last week was better than the week I spent a year ago but I can certainly say it was one of the greatest weeks of my life.  14 and 15 year old boys are a funny group to hang out with.  They are somewhere between adolescents and adults and still trying to figure out a lot of things, not the least of which is how to enter high school and take on the responsibilities and obligations that come with that.  I love being able to counsel and advise young men how to live lives of significance and some of the pitfalls to avoid.  The pressures and burdens some of these kids carry at such a young age is heartbreaking and yet by giving a week of my time I feel I am making a positive difference in the world.  I gave up a lot to go last week but oh boy what I really gained!  It seems that the Apostle Paul was right when he said "it is better to give than receive."

So no matter what your excuse is for the Summertime Blues, I encourage you to look outside yourself and see where you can make a positive difference in your corner of the world.  With all apologies to Eddie Cochran and the many since who have sang the lyrics "Sometimes I wonder what I'm a gonna do, But there ain't no cure for the Summertime Blues," I say the cure lies in your willingness to take action and do something positive that will pay rewards well after summer has come and gone.

I spent a week not worrying about what was happening with the economy, which country was teetering on the brink of bankruptcy or who the next president of the United States is going to be.  To a lesser degree I also let go of the concerns and pressures at home and especially at work associated with all of the above.  I didn't make a lot of money last week but I received more rewards and bonuses than I will ever earn running a business.  Where can you and I look to create our next fortune for ourselves and those around us?