"The Kite Runner"

I'm finishing the book, "The Kite Runner" and it is a wonderful experience. I've not been feeling well the last half of the week and while I've been plodding around in my office, getting out from under the month end avalanche as well as preparing for new month, I've been listening to this story. It has taken my mind off being sick.

Some truly amazing things have begun to happen in my business and I'm so thankful that I stayed in the mode during some challenging times. I like to say that the true measure of a leader is how well things go when they are not around...To that end, I assisted in developing a local workshop that now has a life of its own. It is very gratifying to see a project not only get off the ground but take on its own form and its own life after one has "let go" of the leadership strings. To me, this kind of success gives me great joy because I believe it says that others are being used in their gifts and their own success.

I am able now to firmly look to the year end goals that I have projected. We still have a lot of work to do, but I'm feeling more rejuvenated and more excited than in a long time. I truly feel that the first decade of my professional life has brought its share of success and challenges and that all can be learned from. I tend to make the same mistake a few times before I learn the lesson, though.

The next five years are important years as I take new steps in my professional life, launch my children into their own lives and celebrate almost a quarter centennial married to Dan. I do expect there to be some challenges to these important milestones and yet I welcome the challenges and the inevitable lessons that will come.

In short, bring it on.