The Arrival

To arrive at a certain destination in life is described as a person being a success at what they have accomplished in life. Success is where you can finally get to breathe a little or take a break from all the hard work. It also means to accomplish ones goals, the American dream, to own a house, and to be better off then the previous generation. The question that has been pondered is simply arriving good enough?

As I sit here at my desk as I do every morning I thought to myself I have finally arrived. I have arrived to the destination and place that I am meant to be. It's been a long and hard road, but I am finally a self employed entrepreneur, and I am doing exactly what I've wanted to do my whole life. Although I didn't really know it and it's been a long road to finding this out but fate has finally stepped in. The thoughts of having a home based business enables me to pick and choose my time, to spend more time with the family. Being there at home when the children get out of school and making those doctors appointments. I get to do more with the children then most parents who work outside of the home.

Being self employed I have noticed that I seem to work harder now then ever. It requires discipline, sacrifice, and dedication. Self employment is not the only job out there that requires time but your finances depend on how hard you work. Just how much do you have to sacrifice or give up to finally make your dreams come true?

Most home based businesses or other upper management positions require at least 50-60 hours a week. It requires the ability to put things on hold, especially when you work out of your home. If you have children that are always running in and out it requires the ability to control your emotions and not let them get the best of you. The emotional toll it takes on a person can be quite substantial. Especially being interrupted when you are in your thought process mode and if you break it at that moment you may not get it back.

I remember one of those instances of losing track when my daughter interrupted me one day. She knew I had an aunt that I hadn't seen in a while and she was under the impression that I didn't know where she was at. So while I was busy working she knocked on the door again and in the usual tone of interruption I screamed what! This is when she told me she thought she found my aunt on one of those online databases. When she told me this it brought tears to my eyes as I could tell she was only trying to surprise and make me happy. It was then at that moment when I realized I was working way too hard and I really needed to get my priorities in order.

You miss out on some of the little things in life. For parents that have the younger children you may miss out on all of the firsts. The first tooth, words, crawling, or steps and so on. For the little older you may miss out on teaching them how to read, taking time bathe the dog together, or going for walks. Even more critical are the years right before becoming a teenager, the preteen years. Having "the talk" with them. Probably the most important talk you will ever have with them in their life. Keeping kids off drugs, premature sex, dating is not something to take lightly. It doesn't stop there because in the years beyond it becomes a reinforcement issue. It is important to go to a few games, watch the ballet, cheerleading, choir, and how about a good old fashion bike ride in the park.

Not taking the time necessary reminds me of a song in the seventy's called Cats in the Cradle. I am sure most have heard of it as there has been a remake or two. The father is so busy with his schedule that he had denied several requests from his young son to play ball or to spend some time with him. It didn't seem to bother his son as he was very proud of his father and deemed that he would be just like his father someday. It happened just as he said it would; he did become like his father.

The boy now a man is all grown up with his own family to take care of as well as his own pressures in life. The father whose son has moved away and he is now lonely and wondering what he's been doing. So the father calls him up one day and asked when he would come by. The son denies his request saying the new job is a hassle, the kids have the flu, but at the end of the conversation he says it's been great talking to you dad. It occurred to the father his boy had grown up to be exactly like him.

You have heard the saying take time to smell the roses. You better do it quick because once they're gone they quickly fade into the past. Just the memories last and if there aren't any memories made there won't be any to remember. Time is money we all know that but time is something else as well. Time is love, above all else. "It is the most precious commodity in the world and should be lavished on those we care about most. (Sidney J. Harris, "Money is Time," Clearing the Ground, (1986)."

Take the time right now to plan the vacation or if that is stretching it, then stop what your doing right now and go spend some time with that child or give the other person in your life a hug. That's what I am going to do after I come up with a fantastic ending to this article. Gotcha! I already had the ending in mind before I wrote it. The way I see it is that it just isn't "good enough" to simply "arrive," but rather if you enjoyed the ride.

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