Above all else

As I grow older, I find I like to tell more and more stories.  And then repeat them!  It's one of the signs of becoming an Uncle :P  One of my favourite stories that I like to share with my younger colleagues is about self-awareness regarding the importance of your place in the world. When I first started out in the workplace, my colleagues were all lawyers, my bosses were lawyers, the judges were lawyers and the opponents were lawyers.  I read all the news about lawyers, and I talked to my lawyer friends about the law all the time.  So I thought the world revolved around law and lawyers. I was wrong of course.  When I left the Legal Service to join the financial sector, I quickly realised that the law is only a tiny, tiny, tiny part of this world.  I thought the world revolved around lawyers, but really, it is the lawyers who revolve around the world, and the law is just one small satellite. With the financial crisis of 2008-2009, and the pr...

Well, this has certainly been a packed weekend.  Spent Saturday morning with some of my church friends walking the blocks around our bread distribution area, praying for our neighbours - those in need of friendship, in need of restoration of the family, in need of physical well-being, and quite often, in need of just being reminded that you're not alone, and someone cares. Even the strongest of us face uncertainty, sorrow and plain fear - whether you're a migrant worker hundreds of miles away from home, or someone struggling to care for an aged parent, or a mother looking after kids who all fall ill at once. I am reminded that even this little thing that we do, just to go out, sit, listen and pray a blessing, possesses so much value, and that I therefore need to be available to do this more often - not just with strangers, but with family, friends and colleagues. Saturday afternoon got a lot noisier, as we hosted a pre-Christmas kids party for Daniel and his friends...

Everyone wants their kids to do well, whether in school, or in some hobby or sport, because we want them to succeed in life in general.  And we know that the lessons they learn as they succeed or fail, help them to grow into the adults they will be. I don't know about you, but one of the most common things I say to my kids is "You can do it!".  When faced with a challenge - "You can do it!".  When faced with a setback - "You can bounce back!". When they achieve a milestone - "You did a great job!".  It particularly frustrates me when I perceive that they are not trying hard enough, or are giving up too easily, or simply don't believe that something can be done.  After all, it's one thing to fail, but quite a different thing not to give your best, or even to make the attempt, because of laziness or self-doubt. Many times, I have often said things along the lines of "Believe in yourself!  Spit in the face of difficulty!...