Tag: holidays

Thanks Uncle George, I remember Daisy

I last stayed with Uncle George and Aunty Joan about 40 years ago. They were dairy farmers. I think that they had about 150 cows and the images of the milking shed at 5.00 am have stayed with me since then. I see Uncle George and his cows when I pass a dairy farm even now. The warm unprocessed milk with porridge at 7 or 8. The implement shed.  The raging bull that we chased on the other side of the fence. Driving for the first time as he put the hay out, across the paddock with the accelerator on the Bedford truck stuck on what felt like breakneck speed. Rapidly (to my eyes!) approaching a narrow bridge between paddocks. The big arm leaning in to check the steering  You’re fine, just keep it dead ahead. Dead I thought, yes, if the bridge doesn’t widen up real soon!

Running into Mum and Dad in Farmers on a trip to the city. I need to go to the loo. Uncle George corrected you mean lavatory. Such responsibility to my care, even in the face of my parents! Funny how at the tender age of 5 I could sense my parents discomfort.

He died this week, aged 96. He had strong beliefs that he will join Aunty Joan. And probably Daisy. One of those 150 cows he knew by name. The only name I remember, but he had them all off-pat as they walked to the dairy. Remarkable.

He let me learn by trusting me and letting me have a go. Thanks Uncle George.

Stephen

A life lived – be happy

Mum texted me on Sunday a week ago to say that Aunty Laurel had died at 4 o’clock. Her passing had been expected but not quite that soon. As we know cancer is unpredictable but in any case once we’ve done about 650,000 hours for many of us, that’s it, and that’s almost exactly what she did do.

Laurel was a mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend to many. It’s a strange thing that when you go to a funeral it’s often the only time that all the person’s family and friends from all their life come together. One of my running mentors Gordon Jackson turned out to be an old friend. I had no idea.

Knowing she was dying, Laurel requested her funeral be non-religious and simple. Family and friends spoke of a woman who always got stuck in, who was creative with cake making and teddy bears (sensational ones!) and was always there for her family. I remember Laurel mainly from family holidays to Stanmore Bay where generous barbeques seemed never to run short of food for us and all our cousins.

The sadness of losing a mother is not something I have experienced. But it is plain to see. What I also saw was a collection and distilling of happy memories and focus on what Laurel had given to her family. It can’t compensate, but it surely is a wonderful thing to reflect on.

Actually, that Laurel knew she was dying isn’t that unique. We all know we’re dying. We don’t know when but we can take a pretty good estimate of when the molecules will have had enough. I’ve been challenging myself recently “Am I happy?” I’ve done over 410,000 of my hours so I hope so! And I am.

Are you doing right now what you want to do? Or is the happiness at some “when I’ve done this” point in the future? What is that point? What is the point in waiting for that point?

Make it happen. Whatever works will do I say. Laurel didn’t wait to make her teddy bears. She made scores of them, bringing joy and happiness to many people, but most importantly, to herself. Be happy. Now.


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Happy on your holiday?

I know I’m not the first, in fact I might be the last, but I’m back at work.  I got that strange feeling again I get about 4 days away from going back to work that says “why do you work?! is that really necessary?”.

On the way out this evening from the office I ran into the cleaner “so it was a tough day?” he enquired “yeah but the first day always is but I reckon I’ll be back!”

So having got those thoughts out I’m back.  New and improved with sunburn behind my knees.  Yes, for the first time in over 4 years of running I burnt the back of my knees running the Waiheke Wharf2Wharf on Saturday.  Not quite sure why?? What fantastic views and equally fantastic hills.  It was a beautiful day, but certainly one of the more challenging events I’ve been in.

The break gave me a chance to read, run and rest.  It was great.  I’m re-reading Stephen Hawking’s A brief history of time which I find fascinating and certainly puts into perspective our lives.  Actually we’re pretty lucky just to be here (the odds were very long), not to mention living in a relatively safe, open, free country with the best outdoors imaginable. Those of you that came on the Authentic Leadership Course will know the value of what the outdoors can teach us about leadership so I’m determined to continue in that vein both personally and professionally this year.

So what happened to leadership over the break?  Well the prime minister went to Hawaii and left his deputy to look after us.  We didn’t mind, in fact we didn’t really notice did we? The PM obviously trusted his deputy to take the reins while he had a break with family (good call I say).  As for the deputy, well he seemed to not interfere with what we were doing – we just got on and did it.

Maybe as leaders we all need to go on holiday a bit more often.  What do you think?

Stephen

ps Should we help our fellow humans in Haiti out?  The tectonic plates showed their usual indifference to human needs and the resulting tragedy is really quite horrific. I’ll give a bit to Doctors without Borders I think.


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