It's 9AM

What if You Are Never Satisfied?

Jun 24, 2024

I’m not saying a backpack cooler will change your life… but we got one for baseball tournements and it is a game changer. Plus I use it for long hikes and even on some long runs. I can drink water that’s cool, but I’m with two folks who will only drink ice cold water or drinks, so it goes with us even when we’re just tooling around town.

I’m a huge fan of it.

We all want the same thing.

I think the song said it best.

Satisfaction.

Sometimes you can’t get no…

But if you try sometimes.

People laugh at you for wanting simple things.

But what’s so funny about peace, love and understanding?

I think about this a lot.

Because I think that’s what most of us want.

Peace in our lives.

Someone who loves us.

Or a lot of people who love us if you’re feeling hedonistic.

And understanding.

When I would talk about leadership, I would tell people if you want to be understood, first try to understand.

Which means listening.

The hardest thing to do.

Last weekend, we went to a friends house to watch a football game.

The weather was crisp, and they sat the television up in their driveway.

Put a firepit in the middle of the drive, and we put our chairs around it.

Not a circle, but a semi-circle of sorts.

Corralled by coolers, of course.

And we brought snacks, and turned the kids loose to play football and baseball and chase in the yard.

Then we talked.

Or they talked.

I tried to listen, and watch and drink beer.

I wasn’t watching football.

I was watching them.

One of the Dad’s got news this week that his job was going away.

Thank you Coronavirus.

I watched him talk about it for a bit, like it wasn’t a surprise, like he had been expecting it for awhile.

He works for a big company too.

He said the role of the salesperson is disappearing.

I think that’s true.

I think the internet and automation will change that job.

A lot.

I was more interested in watching people.

Talking to each other. Sometimes talking over each other.

Waiting for their turn to say something.

And me, just as guilty as the next person.

Failing to listen. Failing to understand.

Which wasn’t a critical mistake watching a football game on a cold Saturday night.

But could have been, if I hadn’t thought about it, and learned a lesson from it.

My daughter sent me a text about her first day at work.

I told her I was proud, but asked about it.

Asked questions, instead of statements.

I wanted to give advice, fatherly in nature, and full of wisdom accrued from working since I was fourteen.

Instead, I chose to ask her about her thoughts. Her feelings. Her day.

And she opened up.

A string of texts about why she wants money, why she likes the job, why she’s adding 10-12 hours per week working at an ice cream/coffee shop on top of dance team and her classes.

Why she’s making her dad worry about overextending and stretching too thin. (Which I did not mention)

I just wanted to understand.

Two dozen texts later, she told me how much she loved me.

And my heart was felt peace.

Who knew the singers were seers?

Find some peace with PIXIE PROBLEMS, the next in series for The Marshal of Magic files.

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