🍎 5.5 Hours in NYC

I took off from O'hare at 9:30am. I write this now less than 10 hours later from the O'hare tarmac, already returned from a whirlwind trip to NYC. I spent a grand total of 5.5 hours there, from the moment I landed at La Guardia until I left it.

Time is fleeting. Time is precious. Time is quintessentially scarce.

I dropped my kids off at school this morning and hustled to the airport. After two wildly successful meetings in the biggest of apples, I caught an earlier flight on standby and will make it back home with enough time to see them before they go to fall asleep. There is no more important role in this life of mine than being a dad, and I love that I get to bookend the day with them. They drive me crazy, and I love them eternally.

My body, it's true, is hurting from the pace of the day. I'm having one of those times that I'm reminded that stress takes a toll, that the body does indeed keep the score, and that my disability just loves to flare when I push it like this. But I'll be okay. I know how to recover.

--

I haven't written to you much as of late, dear reader. I've been building things that I'll share with you at a later date, perhaps. I've been channeling this Year of Focus into efforts that sometimes feel dizzyingly all over the place and other times feel well honed and balanced.

I can see the impact I can have through my work, and I can see what needs to get done to realize that potential. The 15th Anniversary of Warrior-Scholar Project is an opportunity to build upon a legacy and serve ever more veterans. In the immortal words of Boromir:

The meetings today were the culmination of new relationships I've been building over the past few weeks, and I left both with a clear sense of accomplishment and vigor. More to come for each. And with that "more" comes the need for the next application of intentional focus. This gift needs to be opened and put to use.

The journey shall continue, 5.5 hours at a time.

Time-Zone-Hoppingly Yours,

-Rye