I’m traveling for a conference this week and it almost ruined my daily writing streak.
This is one of those full-on type of conferences where every minute of your day is spoken for. You know, like, it’s just go-go-go from the moment you get up. So, it’d been a long day, and I’m about to head back to my room and write despite how zonked I am. It’s late, but it’s been 278 days in a row of publishing this column and I really want to keep it going.
I’m standing in the somewhat musty common-room of this college dorm in Boston—where the conference is being held—when a familiar face appears. We greet each other with a hug, and cruise through a condensed bit of small talk before seamlessly diving into a full conversation. Any pretense we might’ve had in a situation like this melts away almost instantly. That’s something that seems to happen more and more involuntarily each year.
He seems like he’s had a long day, too.
We’re friends, but also sort of colleagues? We kind of work together, which is how we became friends, but we don’t actually work together in a traditional sense. We volunteer at the same non-profit. Which is why each of us is here in this musty college dorm in Boston. We’re here to run an annual leadership seminar for high school students. So, standing there among the circular, cafe-style tables, tiled floor, and worn couches, we get to talking. He’s filling me in on his kids’ lacrosse season and what it’s been like for him to coach, and I’m thinking about how many life events and phases we’ve watched each other go through over the past 16 years. We have about 10 years between us but it’s never really seemed like it.
As I’m thinking about all of this, I’m looking at him and I’m struck by just how grateful he looks through the fatigue. He’s got this calm, somewhat tranquil smile that’s dancing while he’s talking and it’s so obvious that this guy just absolutely loves being a dad. And without realizing it, I’m shaking my head and smiling. At the same time, I’m now fully aware that I’m not going back to my room and writing...
I’m going to keep chatting with my friend I don’t get to see that often.
Because I want to hear all about this latest life chapter.
*** Eventually I did write and publish something (keeping my streak alive). However, I fumbled the email scheduling for it. So if you want to read yesterday's column, you can do so here.
Our Daily MAP Year Prompt
278/365
How do you think about flexibility to make space for life without compromising your goals?
onward.
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