It’s Friday just before Independence day but I’m going to break the norm and post about something other than Freedom. I love my Freedom but just had other thoughts while sitting at a Chinese restaurant with my wife today. A little technology, business, and gratitude.
I Can’t Stop Being A Geek
As you can see from the photo above, I realized today that I cannot seem to stop carrying my geek gear everywhere. I hold my Galaxy S6 like it’s a portable respirator controlling my breathing and existence would stop in its tracks if I was separated too far from it.
As I sat down I found myself setting my gadgets on the table. Bluetooth headset, mini tripod, selfie stick (yeah, I know), Bluetooth shutter release, and even a small Cannon digital camera. It’s funny but I hadn’t realized the change recent years have brought until I sat my gigantic plate of Chinese food next to what I call my geek gear. The contrast was eye-opening.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not fighting it and have no plans for change. Well, other than the amount of food I just consumed. It was a buffet and, don’t tell anyone, that was just the first of two plates. Ridiculous.
Do You Believe In Signs From.. Anywhere?
Without making this a religious post, I am a believer. In what I believe, I don’t know myself so I certainly don’t subscribe to other people’s idea of God or any of the other stories we tell ourselves about the afterlife. I don’t think we’re capable of comprehending something like that; at least not yet. Don’t even get me started. 😉 Lets just say I believe life is simply too perfect as a whole to be a natural accident.
Back to my sign from… where? I have no idea but it gave me goosebumps. As we’re eating lunch, my wife is telling me she wants to start a business. She wants to start an adult daycare. She’s an in-home caretaker and a very caring person. It’s like she was built to care for others and the elderly she takes care of seem to adopt her into their family.
An adult daycare is something she’s thought about for years but, at lunch, she was telling me she had a feeling it was time. She seemed to feel an outside force telling her she needed to do this.
A new business venture is on the horizon.
Here comes the strange part. After the hostess brought the bill and Chinese cookies to our table, she opened hers. Now I’m not a superstitious person but the message that was probably printed years ago and thousands of miles away (I never eat these because I’ve hauled them by the truckload from the container ports) was almost flooring.
Now my wife has been the most supporting person for me than I could have ever wished for. I can’t tell you how many hobbies and business ideas she’s stood at my side while we try to figure things out. We’ve been married almost 32 years and I’ve always had something going on. Usually multiple things at once and she has always been at my side.
I know her, and I know us well enough that I have no doubt if she wants an Adult daycare business, we’re going to be running the business soon. It’s my turn to be supportive. We’ll find a way.
Thankful For What We Have
The final lesson I took from our lunch was our situation. It’s a small thing but we decided to go to lunch without any real concern about expense. I can remember a time not long ago when I would have felt a little apprehensive whenever a bill was placed on the table. Not upset or even nervous but it would affect me a little. A little uneasy I guess. These days – not so much.
Anyway, I watched a young couple with two small children sit at a table next to us. I overheard the young man tell the hostess that they would have the buffet and just water for each of them. Now, it could have been a health decision to drink water but in my heart I know better. Truthfully, that’s exactly what most of us should be drinking but I could tell from the situation that cost cutting was a necessity in this case.
I wasn’t about to risk embarrassing anyone and didn’t offer what might have been thought of as a handout offer but it did make me feel very fortunate. I guess I’m getting a little nostalgic as I get older.
Have A Great Weekend – Happy Fourth Of July
Here in the U.S. we celebrate our Independence tomorrow. As a veteran and self-proclaimed patriot, it is a meaningful day for me. Even as screwed up as we are as a nation and society I can still enjoy a nice lunch date with my sweetie pie.
Tomorrow I’m going to strap on Sadie’s thunder shirt, go half a mile to my brother-in-law’s house and enjoy being with family. I’ll watch the insanely dangerous, and probably illegal, fireworks they set off every year and wish they wouldn’t drink so much. It’s going to be crazy noisy and very tiring but hopefully the neighbor’s yard won’t catch on fire and the police won’t show up this year. What can I say, they’re family. 😉
Brian D. Hawkins is a late-blooming thought leader in his mind. So please don't disturb his happy thoughts. It's all he has.
Brian D. Hawkins has been a blogger for over twenty years, having written thousands of public articles on dozens of websites. He currently blogs for NextStepSurvival.com and his personal blog at TheOpinionBlog.com.
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