You know how it goes. You wake up on a Saturday with a clear picture in your head—everything you want to tackle before the day slips away. For me, it was straightforward: Work on a woodworking project I’ve been meaning to build, shelves for my son’s room. Put together the workout equipment that’s been laying in my garage floor. And yeah, carve out time for a solid nap, the kind that resets everything.
Would I actually get to it all? Who knows. There was also the chance to help a friend pack for their upcoming move, which was a good way to fill the day helping. Solid enough outline.
Then the phone rang.
It was the kind of call that changes everything in an instant. A family member had fallen and was in the hospital. My list? It didn’t matter anymore. I set it aside and headed over. (Keeping things vague here to respect their privacy—praying for a smooth recovery from the bumps and bruises, and a return to routine soon.)
Just being there. That’s what it came down to. Sitting by their side, listening more than talking, handling a few small things that needed doing in the moment. No big speeches, just presence.
If you’ve been following along, I’m in the thick of another 7-40 Challenge round. It’s about weaving seven daily habits into 40 days—building momentum, inching toward the person I’m meant to be. But why push for that growth? So that in the real tests—the ones you can’t plan for—you make the right call. You show up for what matters most.
It echoes what Marcus Aurelius wrote in his Meditations: “You have power over your mind—not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.” Simple, enduring truth.
Or consider Eleanor Roosevelt’s words: “You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face… You must do the thing you think you cannot do.” It’s in those unscripted moments that the habits we’ve built prove their worth.
So, when your day veers off course—when the unexpected pulls you in a new direction—what pulls you through? For me, it’s the character shaped over time, the faith that’s become a steady undercurrent, and the ties to the people who ground me.
I’m thankful for it all. Thankful for the ongoing chance to grow, to be there for those I love. Thankful, really.
Life rarely follows the outline. Here’s to leaning into the detours.
See you tomorrow for day 14.
David Willis 