Strategic Serendipity

This time of year always makes me nostalgic.  While I get to go to class throughout the year and each time is like a mini flashback , there is nothing quite like the build up to the start of a new school year.  A friend of mine published a blog post on those "school" supplies that moms love the most , and I must say, her list (and the instant "Oh yeah I need those!" reaction we all have reading it) make me think that I am not the only one in the start-of-school-envy boat. We all know that kids pick up on what we do even (especially?) when it doesn't match what we say.  So, what are you modeling for your children about lifelong learning? I have a friend whose morning post today was that her daughter asked to start off her first day of school by attending a 6:30 AM sales meeting (celebrating a record sales month) with her mom.  It is easy to see that her second grader sees learning as an integral piece of the pie; that she sees execution as a by-product of tha...

Last week my NCIS Season 10 DVDs came in the mail.  Each episode is a treat in and of itself after I got rid of cable last year and became a Netflix-only household.  (As a single mother with a toddler, I was averaging about 30 minutes of quality TV time to myself a day so it seemed a real waste of money.)  Overall I have been pleased, but there are a few shows, like NCIS and Big Bang Theory, that I honestly miss.   Anyway, one of the episodes really struck me the more I thought about it.  The title was Hit and Run and in it, Abby's character flashes back to a childhood "investigation" while working a current hit and run investigation and comes to the conclusion that all her work is for nothing as she doesn't change anything and bad things still happen.  Of course, Gibbs' character shows her what a difference she truly makes by just being herself and the episode closes with her smiling.  His speech is about her "hit and runs" where she does something...

"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are."  Theodore Roosevelt How often do we say, "if only I had the authority/power/time/money to change things?"  I am as guilty of this as anyone, I know what I "would" do if given a chance. But every day is a chance to shine.  We aren't all Ryan Seacrest, Bill Gates, or Peyton Manning.  And not to discount the contributions of those people.  But each one of us creates a ripple around us every day by our actions and behavior to others.  If you can't form a foundation, that doesn't mean you can't help those who have less than you. Think of the people who have had the most impact on your life?  Would I know their names or are they that special teacher that didn't give up on you, your parents, or a dear friend?  If those who impact your life in the biggest ways have unknown names, why can't you make an impact with what you have where you are? We typically place more limitations ...