Appreciate What’s In Front of You

(Excerpt from my 1st book, “Looking at Forty: A Most Meaningful Year”)

I received a house-warming gift today. OK, that is a lie… We bought this house almost three years ago and were gifted this item around that same time. I am writing this because the gift re-entered my consciousness today, and its sudden reappearance made it more meaningful to me.

It was given to my wife and me by one of my true friends, a guy I have known and confided in for many, many years. His name is Dan, and I hope he reads this book one of these days between adventures and workouts. He lives in Ocala, Florida, which to many is known as the horse capital of the United States. This gift perfectly combines my old home, Florida, with my new, Texas. It is a star, the symbol of Texas, made of actual horseshoes from Florida. To make it even better, it was hand-crafted, hammered, and welded by a friend of Dan’s back in Ocala. It is a thoughtful gift, something you cannot buy at your typical gift shop.

The fact that this came back into my consciousness so suddenly shows how much can change in a short period of time. This has been hanging on my wall for nearly three years. I see it every day, but I do not take the time to appreciate it the way I did today.

This is a gift that deserves attention. It is a symbol for friendship. My friend took time out to think about what would fit our house. He took the time out to pitch it to someone who could craft it, and then he took the time out to make it happen. Someone put their own sweat into this. They used that time that could’ve been used for more selfish pursuits to construct this work of art. And make no mistake, it is a work of art. That is impressive when you stop and think about it. The effort and the thought that it took to create this makes me smile. It makes me thankful.

In my younger days, I would not have seen the real meaning in this gift. To take a big step back, this gift would not have even happened in the first place. I would not have been buying a house, committing my hard-earned dollars to a multi-year ball-and-chain. I would not have cared one bit about anything going on my walls, not even a gift that took so much work from a complete stranger—and so much thought from a friend. I think I can speak for Dan here in saying that there would have been no way he would have given me this gift ten years ago. It would have been something closer to a 12-pack or a bottle of rum (both would have been appreciated). If I did end up receiving this, let’s say at 26, I may have let out a bit of a chuckle. It would not have been at the gift itself but at the fact that someone was willing to put that much thought into helping me decorate my own house. I would not have done the same even for myself.

These types of things and actions are much more important to me now at 39. There are many levels to its importance, and I considered them all as I paid attention to it today. It is important for me to realize that and appreciate it at the same time. When a guest asks about it, I will be excited to explain the entire story of this piece of art and how it came to live on my wall. The times I have explained it to friends and family so far, you could see that they felt very similar as I do about the gift. They can see the appreciation in my eyes and hear it in my voice. They themselves can appreciate the effort that this gift took, and they express as much. I am proud to be the owner of an item imbued with so much meaning. I am proud to have the type of friends that I do, the type of friends who would put this much thought into something. I am not afraid to admit that now.

The older I get, the more I appreciate the actions and efforts of others, even if those actions do not impact me directly. It is amazing how good you feel when you do something that should be so simple—and that is just appreciating something. When I saw that star hanging on my wall this morning and considered the significance behind it, that set the tone for the rest of the day. I was full of appreciation, and that tone will likely carry on throughout the week. I felt happier. I hope we can all do this more often. It is easy, it is important, and it feels good for all involved. So look around, and appreciate what you see.

-Houston Bailey (@BumpBailey)

The Impatient Gardener

I am sure I have many weaknesses, but the glaring one seems to be impatience. I am aware of this, and tend to do my best to fight it, but it peaks out fairly often. Today is one of those days.

It is officially spring in Texas, so it is time for me to get our home garden up and running. We have two raised garden beds, fairly small, nothing spectacular. And therein lies the problem for me. I want bigger, I want more, I want to survive on only the vegetables that I can produce.

The issue with this is that I do not necessarily know what I am doing. I planted the garden last spring and it went well for a while. It produced various forms of peppers, some tomatoes, and even a few sweet potatoes. But when summer came around, I sort of gave up on it, as it could not easily survive the brutal Texas heat.

You would think I would take a lesson from last year’s attempt and take it slow this year. Perhaps learn a little more about gardening, try a couple of new things before I turn my entire backyard into a hopeful food producer. Perhaps overconfidence is another weakness of mine, thinking that this would even be possible on a second go around.

So, like I said, I will do my best to fight the urge. I will not claim “gardening” to be my new hobby quite yet, although it would be a great one. I will take it slow, learn, and improve my skills and knowledge.

There is something so great about eating food that you produced, that you grew. I want that feeling more, I want it often. But, I know it takes time, and I will just have to deal with that fact.

-Houston Bailey (@BumpBailey)

What a Gift

My mother has bought me many gifts throughout the years. Toys, clothes, books. I would say the gifts I have received from her would be considered fairly typical. Until today.

Today something showed up at my door that was completely different than anything else I have ever been gifted. Today, I received a crib for my own child. He is our first and is not due for a few more months, so this crib was the first big item for the child that we have in the house.

A crib.

As I assembled this gift I realized just how much my life was about to change. This item, snowy white and beautifully crafted, made it that much more real. This is the first thing that I looked at and immediately became both nervous and happy.

It now sits in control of our spare bedroom, which is now slowly becoming the nursery. It even surprised me when I walked into the room later in the day, having forgotten this new addition was in there. A new addition for our new addition.

A gift unlike any other. A gift I will cherish. What a gift it is.

-Houston Bailey (@BumpBailey)

Someone Has to Do It

(Excerpt from the forthcoming book)

I was asked a question today, a simple yet an important one. This question was asked by someone not of my country or my culture, and the fact that the question presented itself on my 39th birthday made it that much more impactful. Let me cut to the chase, the question was: “What do you do for a living?”

This is an unassuming question that is asked of a lot of us on a regular basis. Today’s timing, however, made an unexpected impact. The exact wording of my answer—meaning what I actually do for a living—is not important. It was the feeling behind that answer, and his subsequent response, that got to me. On this particular day, I was on vacation in New Zealand with my wife, and we were enjoying life. We were part of a cave tour that included cold water, inner-tubes, wetsuits, and helmet lights.

It was a large Maori man who asked me the question, which made it that much more interesting. I say interesting due to our differences in culture, choice in career path, and current comfort levels within these dark caves. At the time, he was wearing the aforementioned wetsuit and headlamp. He was also guiding us through narrow stone corridors filled with naturally frigid water. I attempted to give him a quick answer and description of my job—strategy within financial services—which I am sure sounded as boring to him as it looks typed out on this page. His response to my answer was unassuming yet hard-hitting: “Well, someone has to do it.”

It struck me because many people would not consider this man as successful in his professional life, but his response indicated the opposite. As most know, not every culture shares the same “get ahead” mindset that Americans do, and this was definitely the case with my interrogator. As his response spilled from his mouth, he appeared as happy as can be. At this point, I began to think about my profession and my life that parallels it. It was as if he was making fun of my career choice—imagine that! I immediately noticed my softening hands and my mental inclination towards safety and security. I noticed my full immersion into the world of Corporate America and my lack of appetite for risk-taking. This world is a far cry from my younger days spent working and sweating in warehouses and stock rooms, not thinking at all about a 401(k), that next meeting, or an Excel spreadsheet. It made me miss my days spent in the military, doing hard and important work, getting dirty now and then, and having the freedom to travel the world as part of my duties.

I will remind the reader that this book is not about a mid-life crisis, but this particular topic sure makes it feel that way! His question cut to my core and made me reconsider the things I do on my Mondays through Fridays. It made me reconsider what is important in life. It made me want to make a larger impact than I currently am, or if not, at least enjoy myself more often. It also got me thinking about how my priorities have changed for the worse over the past four or five years. It took this damn 39 number to force me to consider this fact. I did not change these priorities on purpose, but it seems to have happened nonetheless. There was no specific point where I chose to get a big house, nice furniture, and go out to restaurants whenever I wanted. There was no specific point where I chose a position at work because it came with a pay hike. Somehow, these things happened right in front of my aging eyes. If the large Maori man knew I was writing this, he would be shaking his head and maybe even laughing a little.

If this same exchange had happened ten years ago, I would not have felt the same as I do today. Hell, my job is great and I make a lot of money. Meanwhile, he’s out there freezing his ass off leading around clueless tourists who mostly do not speak his language. I would have laughed at his comment and even been a little aggravated. I would not have seen the value that his comment offered me, or at least I would not have admitted it. I would have wondered what he was doing with his life, as he was likely right behind me in age yet far behind me in status. I would have shaken off the comment and refused to think about it again. These days, at 39, I almost wanted to thank him. Almost. These days, I know he was right in his thinking. “Someone has to do it.” That comment can hit you hard, I know it did me. It made me consider the fact that there is something else out there for me, something else I should be doing professionally that makes me as happy as he appears to be. Something I am not currently doing.

Today made me realize that sometimes we need to stop what we are doing, look around, and decide if we are happy with our choices in life. Today made me think about those choices as they relate to my career. But this lesson could be applied to anything in life. Many of us trudge through our days without questioning or critiquing ourselves. There is no good reason for that. We should choose the path, or paths, that make us happy every single day, or at least shoot for that goal. Now, I am not claiming that I am the best example of this. It is not like I am going to get home and immediately quit my job and find a career that makes me happier! But I am working my way in that direction, and sometimes that is all you can ask for. At least I am realizing—finally—that happiness and meaning are the key to a successful life. If we are not getting those things from our daily grind, we need to find alternate sources. So when you are done reading this chapter, put the book down and make a list of things you want to change today. Take the first step to fulfillment by crossing at least one thing off that list. There is no way you will regret it. I am going to go do that same thing. I am going to do it now.

-Houston Bailey

Admit It

I chickened out today. It happened where the flat dry desert meets towering mountains. It happened in a quiet placed called Utah. My wife and I were on a five-day trip to do some hiking, camping, and sightseeing. My chickening out came during one of the hiking portions. I tend to consider myself brave even though that is not always the case, as today proved.

We were lying in our tent after a night of camping waiting on the sun to show its face. It was cold and wet, yet we did not seem to mind. We were discussing what the day ahead would bring. The original plan—made by my wife—was to complete a famous hike known as Angel’s Landing. This hike is dangerous and filled with steep drop-offs alongside narrow paths surrounded by unforgiving cliffs. The path is so narrow and steep at points that you must use a guide chain to have any chance of navigating it. The issue is that many other people are using this same chain, rendering it unstable at times. It states in every guide book, blog, article, and review that this hike should not be attempted by those with a fear of heights. That is a category that I, unfortunately, fall into. (Fall was a poor choice of wording there.) When it comes to treacherous hiking paths, I tend to utilize the risk-reward system. Angel’s Landing, to me, did not weigh heavily enough in the reward category when compared with the risks. I will also mention the weather was not the best. It was a constant light rain, which created muddy and slippery conditions.

After some discussion about my thoughts on the matter, we decided to go on a different hike. This new hike also had some hairy spots, but nowhere near the danger or fear-inducing cliffs of the first. On the one hand, I was embarrassed and ashamed of my actions. My wife was more than ready to complete the hike. She had been looking forward to it for quite some time and even tried to keep me on the literal path for a bit, explaining how much fun it would be. Before today, I had never come out and admitted to her that I was scared to do something. I may have been in the past, but I never told her. I felt childish in my unwillingness to go, stubborn even. Prior to this trip, I had been thinking about how I was going to get out of doing this hike. But I had never come to a good conclusion as to how. I should have known long ago that honesty was the way to go. It took me some time to get there and be willing to use it—honesty. And that is why I am also proud of myself for today’s events. While humiliating, I fought the urge to make excuses. I was honest that I was scared to do it. I sucked up my pride and confessed to my wife that I was frightened to do something as simple as walk up a mountain. But honesty worked, as we decided on option B.

In my swashbuckling youth, this situation would have gone one of two ways. Both ways would have been dishonest to me and whoever else was with me. The likely scenario would have been me going into excuse-making mode. I would have concocted reasons why we should not attempt this feat. I could have exaggerated the weather predictions, faked not feeling well, or come up with “way better” options. I would have pulled out every trick in the book, while my real fear was being scared to be honest with others. I would have worried about what others would think about me. If none of these excuses had worked, the other circumstance would have been that I would have gone along on the hike, the whole time hiding my fear of heights deep down in my gut. I would have been miserable but never admitted it. I would have lied and pretended to enjoy it. I would again be more concerned with the thoughts of others versus any of my own.

With the arrival of 39 came the willingness to admit fear. This is something I once perceived as a weakness. The bigger revelation is the readiness to be honest with myself. I cannot think of a time in my life where I came out and said I was scared to do something. That is an astonishing thing to think about. It is almost sad in a way that it took so long to get to this point, to get to this level of comfort. Utilizing the time- proven tactic of honesty would have been helpful in so many situations throughout my life. It would have alleviated so much stress and discomfort.

I learned a lesson today by being honest with myself and with my wife. I learned that sometimes you can impress others by not trying to impress them. Even if you find it embarrassing, people will embrace your willingness to be honest. I may have been afraid that my wife would have lost a little respect for me with the admission that I was scared. I could be wrong, but I think she actually gained a tad bit more respect for me today. She likely understands that it was difficult for me to admit that I was scared. She would have seen right through any excuses I made or any distractions I presented to avoid this challenge. At the end of the day, we had a blast on option B—and we even bonded a little bit over my fears and my honesty. The admission is a weight lifted off my shoulders. It is one that she will understand and respect going forward. I am sure I have other chapters about the importance of being honest. Maybe that trend will help us understand the meaning of it. At 39, I am comfortable about being unimpressive at times, knowing that in the long run that fact will be impressive enough on its own.

-Houston Bailey (@BumpBailey)

Something to Think About: Protection Payments to the Taliban

I came across this headline on a few sources, but I will use NPR’s: Gold Star Families Sue Defense Contractors, Alleging They Funded The Taliban.

This story seems like it should be bigger, much bigger, but I have not seen a lot of people discussing it. As will likely be usual, let me give a few bullet points to recap the story, and then I will discuss (again these are lines/quotes from the NPR article above):

• “More than 100 Gold Star families are suing several major defense contractors, alleging they made illegal "protection payments" to the Taliban — thereby funding the Taliban's insurgency efforts that killed or wounded thousands of Americans in Afghanistan.”

• U.S. has warned defense contractors that protection payments are against the law, but according to the lawsuit, the practice has proliferated because defense contractors feel it's a cost of doing business.

• According to the lawsuit, filed Friday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, the Taliban in 2005 began systematically approaching international businesses operating in Afghanistan, and offered them a choice: pay up, or else.

• Barnett Rubin, associate director of NYU's Center on International Cooperation, tells NPR that paying insurgents is "pretty universal" among defense contractors. It's "the only way to get the supplies through, so the choice is funding the insurgency or not supplying the troops," says Rubin, who formerly served as the senior adviser to the special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan in the U.S. Department of State.

The basic point of the article, and the lawsuit, is stating that Western companies are making large profits in Afghanistan and not caring how their actions are endangering US troops. It comes down to those three little words: “the bottom line”. 

By all accounts, the paying off of the thuggish Taliban groups seems like it is undoubtedly happening. Look at that last bolded quote above. Think about that for a second. Doesn’t this seem like these actions are likely cancelling each other out? What are we doing here?

I guess it should not come as a shocking surprise that this kind of thing happens, but doesn’t it make you a little queasy to read it? Maybe I have missed it, but I feel as if this story should be on the front page of every news outlet, and on the minds and tongues of every one of us. If these allegations are true, and the payoffs are doing what it looks like they are doing, then why are we not yelling from the rooftops on this matter? That includes me.

It also brings up the issue of whether the US should be relying on for-profit defense contractors in war zones. This has been going on for quite some time, but that does not make it good or right. These companies could have underlying reasons for their actions, actions that may not be on the same page as what the US military is trying to accomplish in these areas.

I am not saying I have the answers to this, or if there are even any answers, just...something to think about…

-Houston

Lose Yourself

I forgot what day it was today. I did not attempt this on purpose, but it just so happened to work out. Most days it is difficult to complete the task of forgetting what day it is, but not today. I am on vacation in a remote location, and this location has neither phone service nor internet connection. See, my wife surprised me with a trip to Patagonia, one of the more beautiful and quiet places I have ever been, and this place just begs you to unplug. This allows me to completely disregard my phone and the persistent calendar that comes along with it. Before you ask, I am writing this chapter in a good old-fashioned notebook. Remember those? Despite the completely off the radar feel, we still have somewhat of a schedule on this vacation, but it has not been planned by me. I am along for the ride and loving every minute. Today I knew what day of the itinerary it was (Day 3), but did not consider the actual day of the week. Glorious.

Today felt good for many reasons. I cannot remember the last time in life that the day of the week was not absolutely clear to me. It likely could go as far back as a summer day during junior high school, before summer jobs took over and real-life took hold. I would like to think it has happened more recently than that, but I do not believe it has. If it has, it was not as memorable or meaningful as today’s forgetfulness. The feeling was so good that I attempted to not figure out the day of the week for as long as I could. Unfortunately, as with many things, once I set my mind to not knowing, it made it more and more difficult. It did not take long to realize it was indeed Wednesday. But the letdown of being brought back into reality did not sting as much as I thought it would. Those few moments of bliss more than made up for it. It felt good not to care about a schedule or a weekly meeting, even if only for a short period of time.

When I started walking down memory lane, I realized that the anchor of a schedule was always present. I spent several of my formative years in the US military. I am sure there are professions that are stricter with schedules and times, but I cannot think of one. During my years on active duty, it would have been impossible to forget the day of the week. You were held accountable for your whereabouts, even on your off days. You constantly thought about what you needed to accomplish the following day. You had to know when your next medical appointment, performance report, physical training test, or day at the firing range was. There was little reprieve from the relentlessness of the schedule. Even before raising my right hand and joining the military, my day job kept that calendar entrenched in my mind. My earlier jobs all consisted of shift work, making the specific time and day that much more important. Add high school and college to that workload, and you never had enough days off to even think about forgetting. So this brings me back to the summers of junior high school. This was prior to having any real job or any real responsibility. I am confident that I lost track of the days at this point. So it has been, what, 25 years or more? Wow.

At 39, I am not sure if this situation—the calendar—is better or worse than when I was 24. I suppose there is a bit to both sides of the coin here. If I compare my current career situation with those time-restricted military days, my schedule does not seem like such a drag. I have more freedom of movement, so to speak, and can control my schedule to a point. On the other hand, I have a lot more responsibilities these days, both at work and at home. I have spoken on those ad nauseam, so I am sure you already get the point. One positive of this increased responsibility is the benefits you receive if you are willing to take them on. My wife and I now have the means to take long, and remote, trips that allow the knowledge of the weekday to slip from our minds, if even momentarily. I am provided with numerous days off and seem more willing to take them, knowing that work will still be there when I return. My life at 39 provides me with opportunities I did not have in my youth, and my plan is to take advantage of those. Perhaps forgetting what day it is should be on my to-do list for each vacation.

Today’s lesson was the importance of letting go. This is not something that most of us can do or are willing to do very often. This should not be the case, and I realized that today. Even short periods of clearing your mind from life’s concerns can be refreshing. Today was one of those occasions for me. I am not sure if we can do these mind- clearing events on purpose or plan them into our lives, but I do believe we can place ourselves in better positions for it to happen. That likely starts with the willingness to take a mental break. This can be difficult for me, and I’m sure it is the same for most people. But it is important and refreshing. I wish I could provide the perfect game plan on how to get into the proper mindset to let go, but I am not sure that exists. Just start with the knowledge that it is important. Then put yourself in a situation where it is possible. Throw out the calendar for a week, shut down the phone for a bit. Cancel that next meeting or take a random day (or two) off. Tuesday will be there when you get back. 9:00 a.m. will roll around every day. Start today, whatever day it may be.

-Houston Bailey (@BumpBailey)

Something About Silence

I live in a big city. Cars revving and honking, people talking and crowding. These are just a couple of reasons my days are full of sound.

I am on the phone a lot for work, and fill my days with podcasts and music. At night, I spend time talking with my wife or perhaps watching something on TV. Very, very little quiet time, even if some of that is self-imposed.

Yesterday I had a chunk of time with almost complete silence, and it was stunning. 

I went to some trails not far from the house for a little walk in the rain. Due to that rain, I did not wear the usual earphones and therefore had nothing playing into my ears as I walked. It was Sunday, so the little bit of traffic and construction that the area usually sees was also not present. Silence. 

I could not believe how good it felt. I also could not believe how little of it that I get these days. I suppose my 5:01 a.m. wakeups provide it, but even then I am reading the news or working on something. I do not notice the silence as much in those moments. But this walk was different and it was great.

We all need more of this and we should all seek it out if we don’t already. For those of you who get many moments of silence, I hope you don’t take it for granted.

Enjoy the day.
-Houston Bailey (@BumpBailey)

Walking Sticks

I have these two walking sticks. Well, one is my wife’s. They are each about five feet in length and beautifully ordained. Mine has some form of predatory bird, maybe a hawk, perched upon a tree with a rattlesnake in its grasp. My wife’s has a beautiful cactus scene with a roadrunner poking around. These walking sticks come from Boquillas (del Carmen), Mexico.

We bought these sticks from an older, singing, Mexican man during a hike in Big Bend National Park, on the banks of the Rio Grande. I bought the one with the rattlesnake on it in hopes that it would protect me from...rattlesnakes.

When I look at these items, as they are placed in the corner of my home office, it brings me back to when we bought them. This time stands out in my mind because it was one of the creepier times of my life.

The hike started much the same as most others. We parked our jeep near the trailhead and made our final preparations. It only took about 10 minutes for the hike to get a little strange. At about that time we could faintly hear something in the distance. We weren’t quite sure, but it sounded like singing. As we continued to get closer, it became apparent that it was in fact singing. We could not understand the song as it was being sung in Spanish, a language I have regretfully not mastered in my 40 years. I might add that whomever was singing this song had a fairly good voice. 

To me, this seemed a little strange. We were out in a very remote location, on our own, about 50 feet from the border. Considering my wife was with me, I was convinced that we should turn around and find another hike. As usual, my wife convinced me otherwise and we continued. We finally made it to the location of the voice to see an older gentleman standing there, under a Texas tree, ready to serenade any passersby. His seemingly homemade boat lay on the banks of the Rio Grande just behind him. He was surrounded by different trinkets, to include quite a few of these walking sticks. He was friendly, he smiled and waved, but did not say much. We stopped for a brief moment and looked around, mostly out of courtesy, but decided to continue our hike.

Once we departed, the singing picked back up, as if a siren song for the next group of hikers. We kind of chuckled at that interaction as it just had a weird feel about it. Things would get weirder in about an hour. We continued the hike and I even cast a few lines in the river, unsuccessfully. This was a loop hike, for lack of a better term, so we eventually turned around and started on our way back to the jeep. This meant we would be passing the troubadour for a second time.

This time, however, it was different. As we got close to the spot, we noticed some individuals across the river, just hanging out. We kept an eye on them, out of curiosity. As we got closer, we could see three to four people. At least two of them had rifles slung on their backs. This was the moment where I regretted continuing this hike. One of those gut feeling things. I was starting to get a little nervous because I was not quite sure what they were doing there. Were they Mexican border patrol? Were they police? Or were they some other form of potentially unsavory characters? Add to this the fact that we were maybe 50 yards from them, and they had rifles. Creepy. 

They didn’t wave and didn’t seem to care that we were there, but I was keeping an eye on them anyways. We made it back to the singing salesman and could still see the rifle-carrying characters from that location. Were they protecting him? Were they “ensuring” people bought something on their way out? I am still not sure to this day. A good old-fashioned mystery.

Perhaps they influenced us, if even subconsciously, into buying these walking sticks. Or maybe these things are just really cool looking (they are). Either way, we decided to purchase them, and left some good old American dollars with the gentleman. He tipped his sweat-tinged cowboy hat and we went along our way, sturdied by our new purchases. We made it back, safely, to the jeep still confused by the situation. We talked about it and agreed that this was one of the more eerie instances we have experienced. 

So now, you can understand why I look at these walking sticks in the way that I do. They put me back in that situation every time. I can relive that moment in life anytime I want, just by laying eyes upon them. Some scary situations lead to a good story, and I believe that this was one of them. I hope you agree. Would I go on that hike again, with my wife? Probably not. But I am glad it happened and turned out the way it did. I will look upon these pieces of wood with a strange fondness for the rest of my life.

-Houston Bailey (@BumpBailey)

Conversations with the Cleaner

It is now spring. One thing that means is that it is time to put away some of our heavier blankets. This forced me to take one of the blankets to the cleaners about two weeks ago, you know, before things got crazy in the world. We wanted this garment, a garment that will not fit in our washing machine, to be properly cleaned before putting it away for the foreseeable months.

Today was the day I decided to finally go pick this thing up. On the rare occasion when I head to the cleaners, it is typically a two minute transaction. In and out. Today was a little different.

I was the only customer in the establishment and there was also only one employee. She was an older lady, about to turn 70 in fact. She would not mind me saying, as she was the one who brought it up. She even seemed slightly proud of that fact, and I can’t blame her. She struck up a conversation, something I wish I were better at, and it quickly turned to the recent lack of work due to the scare surrounding the coronavirus.

She discussed how their work had decreased significantly over the previous week and that her boss has taken notice. According to her, he has stated that he is doing everything in his power to keep the store open to customers, up and running, but she was worried. She admitted that she understood the dilemma he was facing of taking in less business while still paying out the same salaries. She said she was even willing to take a few days off and let things calm down, a sort of mini-vacation. But at the same time, she mentioned that a month with no work would be extremely detrimental to both her and her husband. Her husband is 72 and doing odd jobs to keep things above water. Those odd jobs are drying up in the past two weeks.

She kept saying the same thing: “we just need to hang on a little longer.” I have to say, I agree with her. This was an eye-opening experience for me as it is the first encounter I have had with someone truly impacted by this crisis, not just those rushing the grocery store shelves for some reason. She seemed truly concerned, and truly at risk. 

I did my best to let her know, in my opinion, that we will all be ok. I didn’t want to be too sappy about it, because I honestly meant it. I believe it. 

So, today, this thing finally hit home a little more. I see the struggles that others are facing due to this event. I understand a little better now. Instead of just reading about the troubles that small businesses, and their workers, are facing, I felt it today. It struck me.

She said something as I left that will stay with me. She said, in a friendly way, “we will be here for you, stick with us”.

Think about that. Do your best today.

-Houston Bailey (@BumpBailey)

Boredom

When we get bored, things can go good or they can go bad. Perhaps I am speaking for myself.

Maintaining positivity and productivity becomes a challenge. Negatively building upon the boredom becomes a challenge to overcome. Boredom can feed further boredom, and no good comes of that. The snowball effect.

I think about this today, as many of us are, due to the current state of events related to the coronavirus. We are locked in. We are shut down. It is the weekend, with nothing to do, which is a rare phenomenon, at least for my wife and I. What should we do to consider this a successful (productive) day?

We would typically go to an outdoor event (it is March in Texas), go listen to some local music, or partake in some food at a local restaurant. Those things are off-limits. But other, not so positive things, are available.

So, what do we do to maintain clarity and stay on the right path? How do we fight the urge to become slothful and gluttonous? Again, maybe I am speaking for myself. 

I am sure I will struggle with this in the coming days, if not weeks. Maybe we all will. It is an interesting concept, boredom. Perhaps we have not experienced it in quite some time, but it is here and ready to take over. I will fight it.

-Houston Bailey (@BumpBailey)