A Good Problem to Have

The previous post has really hit home.

It’s all about priorities. Not school. Not work. More like health, family and friends.

When you’re trying to juggle school, work and a family, you can lose sight of what’s important. Personally, managing a career and school isn’t too bad (so far, knock wood.) However, my “honeydew” list (“Honey, do this. Honey, do that.”) is getting quite long.

“But, Jim, you have all day Sunday to get to that stuff. What’s the problem?”

No problem. No problem at all. I’d just rather spend some quality time with my kids because I don’t have that opportunity on Saturdays. (That and the wife needs a break, but that’s not my point.)

I will say, however, that I have a very dusty home gym in my basement and a serious lack of anything remotely resembling muscle tone. I haven’t gained any weight, which is good, but that’s only because I don’t have time to eat while chasing my kids around. I’m also in bad need of a checkup at both the doctor and dentist. (Marketing idea: combine the doctor and dentist office. One stop shopping! Sorry, I digress.)

So, while one of my priorities (making sure I get to watch my kids grow up) is being met, another (my health) is not. Or maybe it’s just that I’m not making it a priority. Less or no TV might help.

Most of us are fortunate in that we get to choose our priorities. We don’t have to worry about the six-mile trek for clean water, or how to get some food. Any food. Those are truly priorities. We’re privileged that we get to choose between work, school, family, food, home and other aspects of our lives. We can get lost in all of this excess and get stressed out about which extremely fortunate decision we have to make. A good problem to have, so they say.

But then, things happen that bring that everything right back into focus. A classmate has a cycling accident. Another classmate almost loses a close family member. A son is sick and we can’t figure out why.

Things like this tend to refocus us on the true priorities: Health, family and friends.

- Jim