Forty days in and I am feeling great about how things are going. Told my wife last night, as I was making dinner, that I felt like I needed to pinch myself after another great day with my kids. Just too good to be true. And she reminded me that pinching isn’t necessary when it’s reality. Great should be the norm; great should be the reality. And she’s not wrong–rarely is, and since she’s the best teacher I know, I take her advice to heart. Always.

No stranger to experiencing fulfillment with my kids, I generally have good–okay, great–years, but this year is exceptional. I say this not from a place of arrogance, and I am sorry if it comes across as such, but I work hard for and care much about the experience I create for my kids. I want it to be a great year for them, academically, emotionally, socially, and otherwise. In short, my years are great. It is and has been my reality. But it is result of neither luck nor happenstance. It is work. It is intention. It is a goal. And this year, I feel like maybe–just maybe, I finally got the recipe right for a better yield. Well, for now at least. There’s always a call for reflection. There’s always another better beyond the bend.

Here’s what I have added to the mix for my “better batch” this year.

1 pound Smiles and Frowns

2 pints Practice

1 quart Performance

3/4 cup Retakes (substitute redo’s)

1/2  pound Mindset Mantras

2 tablespoons Set Daily Focus (Monday-writing, etc. Adjust to taste)

4 cups Select-and-Support Grading

1 pinch Journey Journals

A sprinkling of Sappy Sy Rhyme

Generous handfuls of empathy and compassion

Mix well. Bake at 180 degrees (best cooked slowly; it takes time for the ingredients to combine). Serve with a smile.

Okay, silliness aside. And maybe going back on my earlier claim, I have been lucky this year. Yes, there is certainly intention here, but things have just kinda fallen into place, and it is promising to be a best-ever year. But I have thought that for twenty-two years now, so I guess best really happens one year at a time. But as for “best,” I like better, better. Best suggests a resting place. Better suggests a chase. I like the chase. Do. Reflect. Do Better.

Today’s Trail

Along today’s trail we will…

…begin with Smiles and Frowns

…dig deeper into theme with Santha Rau’s “By Any Other Name.”

…reflect in our Journey Journals.

…end with a Sappy Sy Rhyme.

Happy Thursday, all.

Do. Reflect. Do Better.