Lesson Learned

Jackie and I took a couple of weeks this year for our annual pilgrimage to Nebraska.  Now I know that this is not exactly a vacation hot spot, but it's where her parent's live and since we don't get to see them much, this is where we spend the vacation time.  We go once a year, and I have to say that I learned a very valuable lesson this year.  I learned how to relax!

Every year we go, and every year I work harder while I'm there.  Well, this year we had the right people in place to handle our files while we were gone and it made all the difference in the world.  Janis Mueller, our Buyer's Agent, did such a wonderful job that we were able to just sit back, relax, and enjoy our time with our family.  That's when I realized how important that time actually was.  The past few years I would be there physically, but my mind was back here in Houston/Katy.  I wasn't able to really enjoy my time, and my family wasn't getting all of me.  Without meaning to I was short-changing my family and myself.

This year we visited several places in the Lincoln area including the Veteran's Memorial and the Sunken Gardens.  The Veteran's Memorial was actually a huge park complete with a play area for the kids and picnic tables galore.  There was a huge walkway throughout the park, and along the walkway were different monuments.  There were monuments for every branch of the military, as well as monuments to those who served to help the wounded, canine units that helped in rescue, etc. 

It was so nice to see that part of history being shared with younger generations in such a positive way.  Jackie's father is a veteran of WWII, and the city has a program that allows a brick to be purchased and displayed with the veteran's name along side the monument for the war they served in.  Jackie's father and uncle both have bricks displayed for WWII.    The monument on the right included likenesses of soldiers from the Revolutionary War, the Spanish-American War, the Civil War , and World War I.

    We also got to spend some time at The Sunken Garden.  This spot used to be a dump ( no, not just a really run down area in the city but an actual city dump ).  Volunteers plant thousands of flowers every year to make up this incredible  oasis in the city.  It features koi ponds and a huge man made water fall.  It was wonderful to see such beauty in what used to be an eye-sore.  

Life is too short.  Yes, your clients deserve the best service possible.  And this year I learned......Yes, there is someone capable of doing what I do ( that gulp you may have heard was my pride going down ).  All kidding aside, I cannot tell you how important this trip was to me.  I came back feeling refreshed and with a passion for my work, and our clients will definitely benefit from my renewed energy.  I returned with fond memories of the days spent with my family, and hopefully left them with some as well.