Mission: Purposeful

I went to my first Minnesota Twins game at Target Field last week.  I used to go to a handful of games each summer at the Dome, and attended one Twins game at Kansas City, but as yet had not made the effort (or financial sacrifice) to go see a game at Target Field.  I worked pretty hard to avoid going to this game, too; my sisters wanted our families to go to a game together and I immediately came up with several reasons why it wouldn't work.  Then, wouldn't you know, my youngest sister starts quoting a blog I wrote about some class I took this summer that taught me to get into new situations and enjoy them.  Dang it.

Blogging has been a more powerful endeavor than I anticipated.  Writing requires thought - even my light "blogs about nothing" are carefully crafted one phrase or word at a time - which makes blogging a nice mental exercise.  Beyond the act of writing, though, is the development of ideas to write about.  It's one thing to have a thought and just throw some words onto a screen; taking an idea, an inspiration, a theory, and twisting it around to view it from several perspectives before choosing the perfect words to convey the meaning developed through such deliberation uses several variations of creative thinking at the same time.  Sort of like a crossfit workout for the brain.  A benefit of blogging I didn't anticipate, however, was revealed during the Twins game debate.

I hoped people would enjoy reading my blog.  I hoped I could occasionally make people think a little deeper about this or that.  I hoped I could strengthen my own deep thinking.  All have come true.  An added bonus to this blogging experience has been the accountability I've been forced to face - I've had to live up to my words.  When my sister threw my "can't get out of it, so get into it" statement at me I realized that if I'm going to write it, I need to live it.  Which is why I chose to write what you're about to read on this day - I need you to help hold me to it.

One of my five big takeaways from the class I attended and blogged about was the importance of creating a mission statement and leading a purpose driven life.  I've been thinking about that over the summer, wanting to have something in place before the start of another school year but not wanting to create a mission in haste.  I present to you now, dear reader, a version of my mission statement that has been, is, and will remain under construction until I feel my personal growth and development is complete (which will more than likely occur on the day of my funeral):

I am a father - my daughters deserve my time, my love, and the best version of myself.
I am a teacher - my students need my knowledge, my expectations, and my care.
I am a leader - my teammates need my vision, my humor, my shoulder, and my listening ear.
I am a human - I need space, solitude, and serenity.
I will improve the world for someone every day.  I will find a balance between time for others and time for me.  I will smile more and laugh louder.  I will keep each day positive by using my power of choice.  I will leave the past and the future where they belong.

Now, the challenge.  Can I accept this mission?  Accomplish this mission?  I've chosen some personally challenging tasks - the smiling and the past/future, for instance - that are easy to write but if they were so easy to do they probably wouldn't have to be in a mission statement.  I'm going to need some help with this.  I know some of my work teammates are reading this, I know at least one daughter and one sister are reading (and probably laughing hysterically)...if you've read it, will you make me live it?  That Twins game I didn't want to go to was a lot of fun, but it took someone else to remind me that I was going to be open to having more fun (thanks, Sis).  Asking for help is not a strength of mine....probably need to put that in the mission, too....but asking I am.  Will you help me complete my mission?

Take some time and think about your own purpose, your own mission.  What is it that you are looking for in life, and how will you achieve it?  What do you want to become, be known for, be good at?  Life gets so full and hectic that we can easily become a drifter in its currents; a purpose, a mission, swings at least some of the control over our lives back to us.  Stop drifting and start living - find your purpose.

Post Up

I've been a bad, bad blogger.  As in, I've not been very regular this summer.  Well, I've been regular, thank you very much (all systems are go!), but my posts have been few and inconsistently posted.  No apologies; my summer days have been really full with a variety of jobs and activities that I've chosen to do in place of sitting around and writing.  However, I enjoy writing and I know some of you enjoy reading my thoughts (for which I'm very grateful) so as a favor to all of us I'm returning to my two-posts-a-week schedule.....I hope.

I sat down to write one of my "blogs about nothing", but since I've blogged about nothing for the last few weeks I decided writing about nothing after writing about nothing was like.....well, it was like something.  Half my brain is focused on the Twins' efforts to not lose tonight's game so I just don't have the cognitive wherewithal come up with GOOOOONNNNNNE!!!!  ANOTHER 2-RUN HOMER FOR THE TWINS!!!  See what I mean?

So here's the plan:  I took a look at my Twitter feed before I started writing and noticed a number of Tweets that were somewhat random; most of the Tweets I receive deal with teaching, sports, or politics, but tonight there were a few that didn't fit those subjects.  For instance....

****Flossing really is a waste of time!  The Associated Press has released an article describing the claims of flossing's benefits made by everyone from the Feds to the ADA are almost completely lacking MAUER WITH A GREAT PLAY AT FIRST...TWO DOWN IN THE NINTH!!! researched evidence.  I knew it!  I can't stand flossing - cramming my filthy old fingers into my mouth so I can saw open my gums and then spit blood for a half-hour.  That's it, I'm done.  Anyone want to buy a partially used roll of dental floss?

****Harvard Medical School research has just showed GROUNDER TO SECOND, TWINS WIN!! plant-based protein is healthiest.  Great, now I have to learn how to hunt peas and grill lentils.  What's a lentil?

****Starbucks recalls metal straws for cutting up people's mouths.  This seemed like a "Well, duh!" kind of story until I read the stats: 2.5 million of these straws have been sold, and three cases of cuts have been reported.  Three problems out of 2.5 million and they have to be recalled?  90% of their menu is diabetes-in-a-cup (all but four of their drinks are 300-500 calories and gobs of sugar) but nobody complains about that.  What a country.

****What lies behind us and what lies before us are small matters compared to what lies within us ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson.  Not only was Ralph obviously surrounded by liars, he himself must have been the biggest liar of all.  Oh, wait a second, maybe I'm not reading that right....

Darn, now the feed is filling up with all kinds of schooly things and Twins celebrations...sigh.  So much for that idea.  I guess this was a start, a warm-up, a weak effort that will maybe lead to a better post later in the week.  I hope your summer has been as productive and enjoyable as mine has been.  Thanks for reading.