365 Days Around The Sun

The journal

A journal: A record of events is now important to me.  Why?  It is something I am Processing, something that makes me feel like a fool, something that makes me reflect and something that makes me feel happy and sad.  I look back at these chapters and wonder who the hell cares what this fool has gone through and or writing about (and why am I still reading this blog) as they think to themselves “I have it much worse.”  More than likely you may and do.  But this is my journal a reflection of my life and I want to share it with you.  If you have made it this far, Thank You.  I hope it has taken you into my life, shared my journey and my journal.

Is this like a Dear Diary the ones you read in the local newspaper eons ago, or maybe you have a diary you write in daily.  Keeping track of what you did that day.  I never kept a diary honestly didn’t see the point.  Tomorrow is a new day and why did I care what I did today or yesterday, plus I thought it was ‘Girly’ like my penmanship I USED to have.  Looking back, I wish I had kept a journal.

A new co-worker of mine read a post I put on LinkedIn and said, “Wow what a fantastic career/adventure you had.”  To me it was my job, and I was never starstruck by the athletes I met.  Whether it be Favre or Tiger etc.   They, the athletes put on their clothes the same way I did.  Now they were blessed with unbelievable talent, and I was not (in my opinion), but it is or was their job. They start/started their day the same way I did. Take 5 pills brush their teeth and move on.  OK! So, odds are they do not take 5 pills!  It was my job and was I fortunate to do document things others didn’t have access to?  Was it cool? Yeah, I guess but once again it was my job.

What is your job?  I’ll bet I find it more fascinating than you do.  I have a cousin who is THE leader of the engineering department at Sikorsky.  The team that makes the BLACK HAWK helicopter, now that is cool.   But I will bet my cousin will look at you and say, “It is my job.”   My wife’s cousin has traveled the world for the military.  Thinking of all the places he has lived, now that is cool.  But to him it is his job.  We have dear family friends who are attorneys, I wonder if they had kept a journal of all the people they helped.  More than likely not, it is their job, and they are paid to do it. How about a doctor at St. Jude Children’s Hospital who just cured a pediatric patient of cancer or some other life-threatening disease, now that; THAT IS REALLY COOL, but yet again it is their job.  While I am tsure they are proud of the achievements they have made.  Let’s be honest it is their job.

Your job fascinates me whatever your profession is, you know why?  Because it is not mine.  My job is to get healthy for myself and my family.  I just can’t. I will die with this disease in my brain.  At times it makes me very sad and at other times I look back and ponder, “Wow I HAVE had a blessed life” getting to do things in my profession others would kill for and probably do for free.

Here is a link all shot by me.  That Julius Peppers play was used on draft night on ESPN as was the golf shot at 2:37. You see it is special to others but to me I was doing my job. 

My point is do not take your job for granted everyone of us plays a crucial role in this world we live.  Me I am hoping for a miracle for someone who may deal with SCA down the road.  I am now registered in a database to be part of a study to figure out what causes this.  That researcher will think nothing of it I am sure, if they cure it as it is their job but for me and those dealing with this shit I will be forever be grateful.   For us it’s not just your job, the researchers are doing but one that can transform lives.

So, what is your job, and do you do it to the best of your abilities?  If not, I implore you to because we are counting on you. Whether it be stocking shelves at the grocery store or driving the UPS truck that delivers our online purchases.  We all can make a difference in this 365 day around the sun journey.