Time passes so fast. It seems like only yesterday I was in high school…or going to college…or meeting Marixa for the first time…or getting married…you get the picture. The years have flown by. It is most noticeable with my boy.

After going through cancer when I was 26, we were uncertain if we would be able to have children. So, when we found out Marixa was pregnant we were over the moon. We were excited and convinced that we would be having a little girl. I remember the Christmas of 2007 very well. Marixa got me a onesie that said “Daddy’s Little Girl”. When the sonogram told us we were wrong, we didn’t know what to think. It did t take long to figure out that this boy was exactly what we needed. Still is!

Tonight I ran across some sound recordings of him when he was a little guy. I played one for him and Marixa. He was a couple of years old in the recording. He was reciting his alphabet. We all got a good chuckle, and a stab of memories. I remember that little guy so well. I remember when I would get home and he would run and jump up in my arms. He was such a sweet boy. He still is today. He is just a whole lot taller.

It is amazing how much of his personality was locked in back then. It was glimpses of who he is becoming today. He was just as full of life and awesome then as he is now. I am so incredibly thankful for this boy.

What point am I trying to make with all of this? I am proud of my son. I hope you are proud of yours too. Enjoy every minute that you get. They pass so fast.

This one stood out to me when I read it this evening. I always hope the week will go smooth. Maybe I should hope the week is productive…smooth or not.

Nothing in the world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty… I have never in my life envied a human being who led an easy life. I have envied a great many people who led difficult lives and led them well. – Theodore Roosevelt

Let’s do this.

I wrote the other day about the butterfly effect. To me it is one of the most amazing thought exercises to trace back to certain points in life to see how you got where you are. How would things be different if not for that one event? do you have moments like that?

The truth is we all have several of these moments in our lives. We may not call them out for what they are. Or, we may place too much importance on them. Let me give an example.

Years ago I was in a job I hated. The work was fine, but not challenging. The environment was toxic. There was little chance of advancement. Actually, there was no chance of advancement. I would have called it comfortable misery, but it wasn’t even comfortable.

One day a friend called me and asked for my resume. He knew of a job and wanted to pass my resume to the hiring manager. So, I polished it up and sent it on. Before I knew it I was in an interview. Not long after that I got a call that changed the course of my career. The hiring manager asked me, “Would you still like to come work for us?” I wanted to shout YES! at the top of my lungs. However, I composed myself and told her, “That would be wonderful.” Two weeks later, my misery was done.

I remember clearly on my 5 year anniversary with the company I sent an email to the friend who helped get my resume to the right person. I told him thank you. His response? “Dude, I handed a piece of paper to someone 5 years ago. You thanked me then. Everything else that has happened is because of you. I’m good.”

At the time he told me that I thought he was just being modest. I now see he was hitting me with some solid truth. Yes, his action gave me the opportunity to walk down a new path. Without the phone call to ask for my resume, I wouldn’t be where I am today. But, I wouldn’t be where I am without a lot of good choices and hard work on my part too.

I have been in this career field for 13 years now. I have gotten a masters degree related to what I do. I have worked very hard to improve my skills. I left that company and now work in a different state doing even more than I did before. I wake up most every day excited to go do what I get to do.

So, what does this have to do with the butterfly effect? My friend’s actions was the initial beat of the butterfly’s wings. I added good choices and hard work to that. Others have helped me along the way. I have taken advantage of opportunities. Now, I am miles away from where I was because of a small action that turned into something huge.

What has happened in your life that is similar to this?

Happy weekend friends. If you are reading this, I am thankful for you.

It happened today. I gave a speech at Toastmasters. It was a pretty good one. I have given it before, so it went well. That’s not what happened. I got called out. It was awesome.

One of my coworkers named Jessica had my favorite evaluation of the day. She told me that the David they had come to know was back. She could tell that I was well prepared and that it showed. She contrasted it to the last few speeches I did and told me I was obviously not as well prepared for those. I was thrilled. Why? Let me explain.

It is traditional at Toastmasters to have an evaluator review your speech during the meetings. For the meeting today, everyone in attendance got up and offered advice on my presentation and how I could make it better. I really appreciated it.

I have a lot of experience in public speaking. I have been at it for several years and can deliver a pretty good speech. The problem is…I know it. I know I am pretty good at it. So, I have gotten lazy. I don’t put as much effort in. I get by on experience and talent. That works in a pinch, but it is time to move beyond that.

I want to keep growing. I want to keep improving. I want to keep moving forward. How do we do that though? How do we improve? By receiving honest feedback from those we trust. By striving for excellence and not settling for anything less. That includes being surrounded by awesome truthful people and letting themspeak in you love.