My First Post

Today is my first entry into the family blog.

I write for a living, but I am surprised by how intimidating writing in a family blog is for me.

To coin a phrase for a client is one thing. To express my love for my family is quite something else... the topics are connected to me in deep and mysterious ways.. most of which I cannot really express..

But, today I am going to press on to do this thing... and say something..

Something about Joy...

Today I drove her to a 5k run where two of her "runners" were competing.

There was Sara, a small but mighty fireplug of a girl... with legs that shout, "Catch me if you can."

And there was Chuck, an early 40's physician focused on staying in shape... with a great sense of humor.

From the parking lot, the walk to the starting area was long. Joy is in hip surgery recovery, using a crutch, and wearing a grey hip brace that strangely resembles a western style gun holster. When I look at her wearing that brace, I half expect her to pull out a six gun, point it at me and say, "Your money or your life... Cowboy!"

But, I digress.

The main message I want to convey is, that i had an experience today, which reminded me again, what a subtle but profound impact Joy has on her runners.

What she does like no one else does, in perfect synchronization, she happily fills her runners and her family with her life knowledge on demand.

Somehow, it manages to always be the exact kind of life knowledge that they really need at that moment... and the exact kind of knowledge that exists in no one else... then she fills them with her love.. and then she enthusiastically sends them out in the world to run or do whatever stuff they do.

Which they then go ahead and do... But, not without coming back to tell her all about it.

Because, for some reason, whatever stuff they do, isn't nearly as important, if Joy doesn't know about it, and tell them how great they are.

I watch this process happen over and over, and yet I remain mystified by it. I can't explain it. But, I know it when I see it.

I see it in the face of a 40-year-old physician, as he looks for Joy to tell him what pace he should run the first mile... the second mile... the third mile... How far he should run during warm-up... how hard should he push? When?

I see the essence of Joy most intensely in the eye contact everyone has with her when they talk to her.

It is always direct from both parties.. unblinking... for long unbroken periods of time.

I happen to have a theory about that eye contact... it is the path of her love source. In those eyes you see infinite empathy.. you see caring.. you see encouragement.

And you see love.. delivered in her fiber optic, 4G big packet delivery system which Verizon will never duplicate.. in my lifetime.

"Can you hear me now?" Verizon asks?

The people Joy loves never have to ask that question.

They know they could never go anywhere her love would not find them..

And hold them up... and send them back out there to do stuff.