Coming Home

Last night I was conflicted. After being on the road for four days- I was driving home. There was a meeting scheduled in Milwaukee today, a very difficult meeting that I am letting my support personnel take over. I was worried about it because, quite honestly I felt this would be over their heads.

I find this constant balancing act between work and business exhausting- Normally- I can tell when I am in the "zone", you know the feeling when you know where you are supposed to be, is the right place at the right time.

I felt out of synch last night.

On the long drive home, it was in the back of my mind- nagging me. I stopped, less than 20 miles from home at a gas station outside of Lawrenceburg, IN.

The cell phone rang.

Minor panic about the meeting today. Then a series of phone calls. I sat at a gas station parking lot trying to manage the problem for about an hour. More and more my anxiety grew- I should have been there for that meeting. What am I doing going home? Should I fly up there tonight? Kick, kick, kick~!

I was in a miserable mood- Colette called and we decided to meet at a restaurant for dinner with her and the boys. When I got there- the 325 miles of driving , the long sleepless nights of strange hotels, all day meetings and late night dinners kicked in-

I got out my car feeling heavy and tired.

Then I saw my youngest boy- He came running to the door of the restaurant to meet me. His eyes full of love and excitement- He ran and leaped into my arms and hugged me.

The world suddenly seemed much brighter- much more alive. I sat next to him during dinner, his hand snuck into my hand several times during the meal. It came to me that this is where I was supposed to be. I felt in synch again.

I came to a small realization, commonplace maybe, but true all the same.

There would always be another business meeting, but only one moment like this with my son.