The summer-like weather is about the only thing that makes it actually feel like the last week of school. I know I’ve mentioned plenty of times in this blog that time seems to have no real meaning anymore, and it definitely feels that way right now.
On the work front, I was trying to line up meetings and fully went all in trying to schedule a meeting with a few people on Monday. Of course, Monday is Memorial Day, but I had no concept of that in my mind whatsoever. The people on the other end of that invitation must have thought I was some kind of an Ebenezer Scrooge type character from a much, much less popular Dickens novel about a bitter man who didn’t appreciate the true meaning of Memorial Day.
But I got my head on straight, actually looked at the words in my calendar, and got all of that straightened out, thankfully. Also on the work front, I listened in on a panel discussion of architects talking about how COVID has affected and continues to affect their firms.
I imagine companies of all kinds are having the exact same conversations. How do we walk the line between employee safety and productivity? How can we make clients or employees feel comfortable coming into a space? How do we address things like employee travel? Do companies face liability issues with that?
The answer was often that there is no answer and everyone is trying to figure things out a day at a time. It hit me that in many ways, being a business owner is probably a lot like being a parent. The title makes everyone think that you have all the answers, but you are probably just out there making it up as you go and trying to figure out the weird curveballs that come at you one day at a time.
But before I got to all of that, I was able to get out on a nice morning run with the kids. Last summer I used to take the kids in the double jogging stroller with me a lot when I’d go out for runs. Last summer I was both in better running shape and the kids weighed less. So I’m doing it, but boy howdy am I feeling that extra weight from my two not-so-little ones now. But it is a good workout and I love going for runs with them. It gets us all some fresh air, and I also get lots of extra support and encouragement, like when one of the kids says, “Dad, why are you going so slow?”
Gasping and wheezing aside, all three of us love that at the end of the run we usually take a stop at the entrance to our neighborhood, which has a lovely view of a pond across the street and the mountains behind it.
Maybe it’s just the fact that there isn’t much oxygen in my brain from all the gasping at this point, but it always give me a rush of euphoric thankfulness that we live in such a beautiful place.
Amelia had her second-last day of school, and they were singing lots of songs and chatting around with all the kids in the class. She smiled and laughed and participated and once again, her teacher did an amazing job of keeping it fun and keeping the kids engaged. Just one day left.
While Amelia was doing her schoolwork, Henry wanted to do some drawing, so he grabbed a set of markers and paper and sat a nearby desk while his sister did her class. Henry is a master of the fluorescent green abstract.
Also of note today was one of those rare and beautiful moments a parent feels when they see their kids walking right up to the edge of a fight, and then it doesn’t happen. Today, Amelia came to me complaining that Henry wouldn’t let her play Octonauts with him. Henry was on the floor playing nicely with the playset and figures. So I asked him, “Henry, can Amelia play with you?”
He said, very politely, “No. I’d like to play by myself.”
We teach our kids that boundaries are very important and that we need to respect each other’s space. There are times when all of us want to do our own thing, and Amelia herself often likes to play something on her own. But she was having trouble accepting that in the moment, and complained to me. It was escalating as I told him he had every right to play by himself. And just when it seemed the situation would escalate, Henry suddenly said, “OK, sissy. You can play Octonauts.”
Just like that, the two were right in there together, playing beautifully. Parenting and life can throw all kinds of curveballs, that’s for sure. I always appreciate the pleasant ones when the come.
