My daughter-in-law gave birth to our 8th grandchild this week. Their daughter is named for my maternal grandmother. My grandaughter is soooo beautiful. She has red-hair, chubby cheeks, and a serene personality. Now, you may think this blog is going to be all about my grandaughter--but it won't be.
Instead I want to focus on one aspect of our careers, hopes, and dreams. Careers increased their dominance in our lives about 10 years ago. Companies demanded more time from employees. Pressures to perform intensified. Many people went from working one full-time job to 2 or 3 part-time jobs. The drive to make a million dollars by 30 pushed many to delay families, delay relationships, or to sacrifice existing families. Too many divorces have occurred because things preempted people.
A great man, David O. McKay said "No other success can compensate for failure in the home." Harold B. Lee, another great teacher, stated "The greatest good you will do in this world will be within the walls of your own home." Stephen Covey reminds us that one of the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People includes maintaining a balance between work, family, personal, and the other aspects of our life. We are better at each when we maintain this balance.
My grandaughter's birth, combined with her sharing my grandmother's name, drove this point home to me. My professional contributions are very temporary. No one will remember what I blog (few people even read it). Fewer still will remember my professional accomplishments. My publications already achieved obsolete status. While some of my television appearances still play on PBS and other channels. Fashions will change, ideas will evolve, and they will also disappear.
I'm not alone. Everyone's time in the spotlight is limited. Lee Iaccoca, Jack Welsh, and the other titans of industry fade. Others take their place for a time, then they fade also. Do not misunderstand me. I recognize the need for excellence in our professional lives. I ask for balance.
Our lasting contributions will be in the people--especially family--that we strengthen and build. The more we dedicate time and attention to family, the more joy we receive back. The more pure love we share with friends and family, the more love comes back. Not the twisted temporary passion that passes for love these days. I mean the deep sacrificing love that supports, strengthens, and enlightens the lives of those we touch.
So, as you set your New Year's resolutions, set a goal to enrich the relationships in your life. To leave a lasting legacy etched as one great teacher said it "in the fleshy tablets of the heart."
Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, and a Joyful Kwanza.
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