I don’t believe in a couple of things and never have. The first one is “luck.” Quite simply, you make your own and the clichéd phrase, “The harder you work the luckier you get,” is nearly 100 percent spot on.
The other is “having a bad day.” Now everyone has days that don’t necessarily go their way, but that generally is a combination of attitude and perspective.
But I am certain about one thing: no one reads this column to learn “Life Lessons by Tucker.” I have yet to get a “Dear Todd … What should I do about my co-worker who is an avid Kentucky basketball fan?” But a healthy dose of perspective seems to never fail me when properly administered. Deadline stress, busy family schedules, holiday planning chaos, or almost anything can be cured with a healthy dose. I thought I might share with you how perspective can set things straight in my life, and maybe yours, as well.
As I write this letter in the office at the end of deadline, it is well into the evening and I know I will not be leaving for quite a while. I am tired. It would be easy to think that I should be home and relaxed right now. Instead, I am stuck at the office. My perspective — I just finished a Peephole cheeseburger with crinkle French fries, the Curtis Mayfield channel is playing on the Sonos stereo, and a news station is playing silently in the background. I could be working outside in the cold miserable weather that has arrived early.
Earlier this morning, I had the misfortune of walking into my 16- and 13-year-old sons’ rooms. Every two weeks, a client of ours in the house cleaning business comes into my home in full riot regalia to do battle. It will take “plenty” of tag team preparation with each of my boys just so their rooms can be cleaned. And, “My gosh … I didn’t know we had hardwood under there.” I have been known by my boys to politely point out this is not acceptable.
Perhaps the proper perspective should be that I know families whose children are hospitalized — those parents would be thrilled to see stinky basketball shoes and wet swim team gear everywhere in a messy room.
Do you have relatives who drive you insane during the holidays? Weary from the 24/7 pace of the Christmas season and all that it brings? My perspective — be thankful for all the many blessings that we have, and be appreciative as we go through life.
Anyways, that’s my perspective.
As always, I look forward to hearing from you.
Happy Holidays,
Todd A. Tucker
Publisher
