As I sit here waiting for my flight home, I think back on that past few days, reflecting on what I have experienced. My company flew around 30 people or so down to Anaheim, California, for the quarterly event “Rising Star Academy”. The event hosted more than 1,200 people from all across the North American continent, and even farther in some cases. I met people whom I had talked to on the phone in the past year, and even met a few new prospects coming from Mexico; it was a joy to meet these wonderful people seeking after prosperity in person. I have a great respect for them, as they are inspired by the idea of owning their own business and creating their own success.
What was also fun was being able to have the sense of accomplishment after witnessing how big of an even we put on. While hundreds of people learned about how to create wealth, seize opportunity and so on and so forth, we corporate employees ran the show behind the scenes, from assembling recognition awards, to ushering, to registration and back again. It was definitely stressful at times, and by the look on everyone’s face as we anticipate our departure to Salt Lake, it was utterly exhausting. My feet are sore, and my legs are worse. My lower back feels horridly tight and sore. My eyes are drooping, and I’ve a memorable headache that won’t soon be forgotten.
Interestingly enough, having gone through such a great yet demanding experience I saw a new side in several coworkers that I thought either I’d never see, and in some cases, didn’t expect. Some would come through in a hard situation, others would stress out over small and meaningless things, a few would take offense to the smallest intrusion, and another few seemed so far removed from their normal state. Perhaps this is evidence to the notion that not everyone is who they really are from 8 to 5, Monday through Friday. I was surprised, pleased, disappointed, grateful, confused, angered, and frustrated, and sometimes all those emotions came at once. Without being judgmental, I will say that alcohol has the ability to change some people from the greatest soul into the most uncompassionate, and, believe it or not, vice versa. It should be noted though that I don’t believe that a person’s drunken state is who they truly are, and I feel that anyone who does feel that way is shallow.
Finally, to touch on a personal level, I realize that I have missed my wife more than ever. This trip was the longest we have been apart since we were married in May of this year, and the 2nd longest we’ve been apart since we started dating (although the most we’ve been apart ought not to count because it was during Christmas last year when we had been dating only a few weeks). I wanted Tenille at my side ever so earnestly, coming to the conclusion that I don’t want to spend any more time away from her than I have to. It has been said that absence makes the heart grow fonder, and I must agree with this principle.
Having experienced the many luxuries of Southern California and the company’s corporate account, I have learned that (for me, anyway) there is beauty in simplicity. I have dined at fine restaurants and stayed on the 11th floor of a very expensive and well known hotel, and have enjoyed the local entertainment as much as time and conscience permit. But now I long for the warmth of my small basement apartment, my comfy cozy bed, and the arms of my young, beautiful wife whom I love so much.
One more thing… I am now on the plane, and I have noticed that while I may be cramped up and luxury is for the first class seating up front, I must say, I love to fly. As we flew out of John Wayne Airport on what seemed to be a very clear California evening, I got a good view from my little window. It almost looked like the insides of a computer, with the small cars- hardly visible from so high up- as the veins of such a large city. It’s funny. From up here, things are so small, and it offers an interesting perspective. What seems to be a huge deal from the ground up may not seem so extravagant from the sky looking down, at least not on a detailed level. On the whole, cities look beautiful from the aerial view in my opinion, but as I get on the ground and look at the finer details that make up such a large metropolis, I notice that there are things that are great and small, grand and horrid, which make up the whole thing. It’s interesting how the good and the bad intertwine so much on this great earth.
This whole week I have had the words of a popular song in my head by Carrie Underwood, which says, “when you figure out love is what matters after all, it sure makes everything else seem so small.” This chorus could not be more accurate. I know many people –even family, who make choices and live their lives in ways that I disagree with. And yet, I feel for them and have hope that they are happy. There is so much hate in the world, and perhaps it’s because there is a lack of understanding due to the fact that so many people look from the ground up, with a limited view. Perhaps it’s because too many of us take ourselves too seriously, and take offense to too many of the little things that really is just part of life. Perhaps not, perhaps I am completely wrong. But I believe that people, no matter who they are, what they look like, or what they believe or even don’t believe in, are naturally good natured. We don’t all have to agree and live the same life. Common acceptance and a personal disposition to live one’s life according to what they believe in I think would go a long, long way.
Sheesh… it’s amazing what a small business trip will get you thinking about.
So as you can tell we had our new 'Quest for perfection' shirts on, and we're both completely red...well at least I was. That night my Mom stayed at our house because she was driving back down to AZ the following morning. It was nice to be able to chat with her, but I do have to admit, it was better to fall asleep that night. We were so tired we left his lamp on throughout the whole night.
