With permission I share with you the following short e-mail I recieved from Andy Oconner.   I believe a thougtful reading will easily reveal an opportunity to substitute leader for parent and co-worker or team member for child.  Enjoy…

Kirk,

I just wanted to share something with you because I think that these simple acts I’m about to describe let us know that things can be right in this world and these points are incredibly significant:

1) Parents are incredibly important to their children, no matter how difficult it is, we’ve got to do our part,

2) the kindness, thoughtfulness and genuine, untarnished, unjaded love that a child shows can teach us so much, and

3) what would seem to many such a simple gesture, can teach us more than we know.

This morning as my wife and I were nearly out the door for work, and running late as is often the case, our nine year old daughter, Kennedy, is in her room working on some secret project.  I call down the stairs to tell her goodbye and that I love her and I receive a, “just wait Dad, I need give you something“. 

Mind you, we’re already running late, my wife is scrambling to find the right shoes and my first thought is that I really don’t have time for this right now.  I wait anyway and she proudly walks up the stairs holding Pooh, who coincidentally has a note tied around his neck that reads, ‘I love you Dad.”‘  She hands him to me and tells me that he can sit at my desk and take care of me today, and honestly, I nearly melt right there. 

Why is this a big deal?  Some history on this Pooh bear would reveal that she’s had it basically her whole life and Pooh is never too far away from her at night, no matter where she goes or we go, he is, in almost every instance, along for the ride.  We go to Wisconsin Dells to the water park, Pooh goes with; we go to Disney World, Pooh flies along, and the list goes on and on as to the places Pooh has been and seen.  Pooh is a constant in her life and one the few things that she looks for when she needs some solace or a piece of home if she feels lonely. 

I felt so proud, I felt touched and I think I even felt a bit small…we too often find it so hard to give of ourselves or to let go of possessions and here, she has freely given an item that provides her a sense of security, in search of providing someone else that same security.  And what does she do for an encore?  Before I can pull the truck out of the garage, she delivers a cookie to each of us and tells us to have a good day.  Wow!  Through all the challenges of parenting, it is so rewarding to enjoy moments like this, to reinforce the hope that you’re doing the right things and that they’ll hold on to that heart of gold, along with their principles, as the world attempts to rip it away. 

So…I’d classify today as a good day, have a good one Kirk!

Let go of something and share yourself more fully with those around you… make it a GOOD DAY>  Said another way… “Share your POOH” 

Kirk Out

Andy O’Connor