Tag: Father

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Be The Best.

Snow way

I told you I was going to throw every pun I could into the 2020 version of the blog and combine with as many Dad jokes as possible.

April 17, 2020. Yup.

Snow in April? Snow way! Yup, it’s true. For those of you on the West Coast – yah, you are laughing as you read this, physical distancing your way around Vancouver’s Seawall. I get it. I used to snicker at the weather in the east as well. I’m paying a heavy price now for all those years of jokes. 😉

In all reality, snow is not that uncommon in April – it just doesn’t feel right. That said, it comes and goes and we know that warmer spring and summer weather will follow. In recent weeks, I’ve had a chance to reflect and discuss Jim Collin’s leadership concept of facing the brutal facts, using Winston Churchill as an epic example. If you have 3 minutes, read this excerpt. If we are overly optimistic and have our hearts set on a date or outcome we have a much higher probability of being highly disappointed or worse. From a leadership perspective this can be a bigger concern. Leadership by personality will generally not be as lasting as leadership by facing the facts with the team. If we force ourselves to face the BRUTAL FACTS, we are more likely to be able to address those issues and then find a way to win today and then again tomorrow. It is a strange combination (duality) of having a longer term positive outcome (ie, we’ll get out of COVID, we’ll be happy again after loss) with the immediacy of dealing with the facts of today, ie, my income is dropping by x and I need to do three things per day to push forward and see how I can address that…or, I will not see my son again in this lifetime – how am I going to live the rest of my life? I know that’s blunt, but that is the kind of thing we must do, in my opinion. (Remember, I ain’t a doctor and I don’t even play one on TV).

So, weather (see what I did there?) you are facing sun, cloud, rain or snow today, I trust you can face any brutal facts in your situation and then prepare an action plan for dealing with those things.

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Be The Best.

Father’s Day – y2

Can’t believe it was a year ago today that Max took me to the newly opened Empire Field for a BC Lions preseason game.  What a great day.  Here’s a link to that post.

I talked with my Dad this evening and it’s great to hear his voice strong and stronger.  He wrote a famous list called 70 things to do now that I’m 70.  He’s doing so well I’m expecting an 80 things to do now that I’m 80 very soon.

He inspired a certain Max to write a 20 things to do now that I’m 20 just weeks ago.

Very cool.

Today I had a long talk with one of my sons.  We talked about life now and life in the future.  We shared some laughs about the past…silly stories and stuff that makes our family what it is.  As always we shared how much we care for each other…things that don’t change…NO MATTER WHAT.

I did the same with Max and we were able to share a great bike ride and play some basketball too.

Pretty cool all around.

Rock your week.

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Be The Best.

Dad and the too fast kiss.

When my Dad was diagnosed with colon cancer a couple of weeks ago it was a shock to the system…particularly his system but those shocks were felt throughout the family and circle of supporters.

I showed you a video of me and Dad the morning of his surgery and our walk together…me in Chris’ shoes and Dad wearing Chris’ trucker hat.

The surgery went well, but just as Dad was to be released yesterday, the Docs found some leakage and fluid in the abdomen and he had to go for a second surgery.

He is doing ok today and getting stronger.

Dad was in the hospital just a year and a half ago getting a new hip.  In true Dad form he wrote a 4 page list of 32 points called, ‘Humor, and reflections relating to Hip surgery, which took place January 9, 2009′.

This didn’t really surprise me as Dad had completed a list a nine years earlier entitled, ’70 things to do now that I’m 70’.

Love it.

This is a guy who ‘retired’ at 65 and then decided to get some more training to become an ESL instructor even though he holds several degrees already.  He made the trek from Abbotsford to Douglas College for several months to make that happen.

I am fully expecting another 32 point reflections document and a list of ’80 things to do now that I’m 80′ when that birthday comes around in February.

I’ll leave you with this little video tonight.

My Mom and Dad have really shown us how to face adversity.  They haven’t panicked or asked why or become angry.  Instead they’ve made decisions with their family, acknowledged their belief in their strong faith and continued to use humor and warmth in their relationships.

You can see what happens when Dad received a ‘too fast kiss’ from Mom.  Poor Mom…we like to tease her!  Check out this little bit of fun shot just before we took Dad to the hospital for surgery number 1 last Friday.