First, let’s talk quickly for a second about talent.
Talent’s the hot guy or gal who turns heads. We want talent. We want to be talent.
Talent has perfect hair, shiny shoes, and a majestic tan.
Talent used to impress me… not so much anymore… why?
I’ve spent a decade watching a little boy who looks at the world differently grow into an astounding young man.
A relentless team of therapists, doctors, nurses, teachers, family, and friends (all led by my wife, Dee) worked day after day to understand how to change their behaviors to help our son change his.
Day. After. Day.
Day After Day ain’t sexy. Day After Day won’t stop you in your tracks. They don’t write Top 40 songs about Day After Day (some pretty good country and blues songs been written about it though, huh?).
I was gonna say they don’t make calendars about day-after-day, but in fact, that’s exactly what they do, isn’t it? Those calendar people figured out something a long time ago:
Time marches on, and life’s winners take it one day at a time.
My wife, my son, and my son’s support team taught me that relentlessness is the greatest expression of commitment.
And commitment?
Commitment is the greatest expression of love.
Thursday, I was in Evansville, Indiana, speaking to a group of leaders at a little company called McDonald’s. Maybe you’ve heard of it. I think they may be going places.
Before I spoke, one of their owner-operators, Ryan Kramer, was addressing the audience, and at one point he said something so well and so smart that I asked his permission to share it. He agreed.
Then, as I was thinking about what to write on not only the precipice of Valentine’s Day, but my parents’ 56th wedding anniversary, I got a photograph from my sister, Lynn. It dropped me to my knees given my thoughts of the recent weeks. I asked her permission to share it. She agreed, too.
So, my Valentine’s gift to you is this picture and this quote… courtesy of Ryan Kramer and Lynn Peisker… I hope it’s as meaningful to you as it is to me. I’m going to have it enlarged and printed on canvas for my office.
Whatever your dream, whatever your goal, see it clearly in your mind, then get to work. Each day, make any small step toward your goal. Any. Small. Step.
My son taught me the magic is not in the size of your steps, but in the Will to just keep going… and in encouraging others to do the same.
I hope I’ve encouraged you just a bit, and, Father, I pray we’re all a little better today than we were yesterday.
Amen.
