Will and Em

This week I was writing about the goal of being liked, but a couple of events happened that made me think about compassion and following your dreams regardless of popularity or how it might affect the desired outcome at the expense of your true self.

Story One:

My daughter Emily has been following her dream of being in the theatre.  She started out thinking she would be an actor but the more she involved herself in this pursuit the more she understood the serendipitous and ephemeral nature of the beast.  Instead of abandoning the goal she pivoted and expanded that goal to include all aspects of theatre – writing, directing, and acting.  In addition, she and her partner developed a consulting business.  Since their training was all about presenting yourself to audiences, they decided they could teach those same skills to people in the workplace.  Women and men are required to present themselves to the public, whether that be before a board or colleagues.  To add complication to this goal, Emily wanted to apply her skills, not in her native United States but in the United Kingdom.  As in the U.S., the challenge to that journey is obtaining permission from the host country to stay and work on your chosen avocation.  This week she obtained a 5-year extension on her two-year visa—a major accomplishment in a country trying to keep expatriates out.  What is even more amazing is that this visa was granted on the merits of her accomplishments and confidence on the part of the British Government that she and her business would add value to their country.  It is important to note that this is accomplished on a merit-based slog through The Home Office, not through the far easier path of marital bliss to a native of the U.K.

Story two

My son’s day job is working with clients to develop complex insurance solutions at a reasonable cost.  Additionally, his other passion is ice hockey, a sport I often refer to as a “cult”.  If you are involved at a high level, as he is, you are connected at all levels for life.  Using this skill, he is the Head Coach of the Denver University Club Hockey team.  This would be analogous to triple-A in baseball.  These players are good.

Being a coach to 18-21-year-olds is a challenge by itself but when you pile on academics and being away from home, “coach” becomes an important mentoring figure for these young men.  Turns out one of his players developed an alarming acceleration of his white blood cell count and went to the emergency room at a local hospital.  This boy’s parents live in New Jersey, a four-hour plane ride if you can get one at 2:00 am.

William, without hesitation, accompanied this boy to the hospital and stayed with him throughout the night while the doctors tried to find out what was wrong.  He communicated with the boy’s parents thru Facetime and text throughout the ordeal.  When the boy’s mother arrived the next morning at the Denver Airport, he drove out to pick her up.  She wrote a letter to the Chancellor of the University and I think she said it best. “…an amazing encounter I recently had with DU's club hockey coach, Will Steck.  Will displayed a level of compassion and generosity for my family that was, quite frankly, shocking.  I am still shaking my head in wonderment, and the thought of it brings tears of gratitude to my eyes”

Parenting is a challenging job, not for the obvious reasons but because you do not see the outcome for many years.  In addition, it has little to do with you the parent, and everything to do with the individual child that you have brought into this world. 

Obviously, I am exploding with pride at the accomplishments of these two individuals.  Amazingly I have three others with equal resumes.

We are just here for a short period and as long as we are here why not pursue your goals with passion rather than convenience.  And while you are at it, develop that sense of compassion and empathy.  It will serve you well and those around you.

With gratitude…