 |
| Two happy, matching ladies |
The two-year hiatus from the blog from which I am returning today was dictated by my desire for health-- relational, psychological, and physical. And though my intellectual life took a hit from the lack of writing, the sacrifice has been worth it. Mindy, Eliza, and now Josephine need me to be my best, not necessarily my smartest! Key parts of that effort have been:
- Addressing my mood so I can be present and positive
- Addressing my headaches and physical health so I can be sharp each day
- Training for triathlons so I can stay fit, motivated, and balanced
- Teaching point-of-care ultrasound so I can stay motivated at work
- Meditating so I can be more present and peaceful
- Learning how to parent a toddler so I can get Eliza's (and soon, Josephine's) life off to a good start
I've explicitly applied Warren Buffet's "2-list technique," in which the top 5 of one's list of 25 priorities are magnified, and the other 20 are set aside as "Avoid at all costs." To that end, I have temporarily cut out or limited peripheral interests like blogging, journaling, kayaking, wilderness medicine, mushrooming, fermenting, Spanish, dream work, active imagination, martial arts, rock climbing, firearms, grilling, music, carpentry, animal husbandry, skiing, knot-tying, and personal finance. These are all things that previous and future versions of myself are interested in pursuing, but this has not been their season.
As part of this push for more health, I've built up a rock-solid group of guys to run with about once a week. Michael, Doug, Matt, and Mike have provided some much-needed fellowship in this hinge period of my life, when my health and relationships have the potential to dramatically improve or drastically worsen. Thanks, fellas! I'm looking forward to many more years of slowing the rate of our gradually deteriorating fitness together.
My long-time buds Kevin Lloyd, Andrew Shank, Ben Hackney, Jacob Hall, Lee Robeson, Sam Cox, and Ben Carr have also kept me grounded, especially during times of serious illness with friends and family. I'm beyond thankful to be able to say that Ben Hackney and my brother Thomas have entered remission from their bouts with cancer, and I'm sure they would appreciate any and all thoughts and prayers for that to continue to be the case. I can't wait to see most of you this weekend for PAW (Perennial Atwater Weekend), our yearly get-together!
For now, I've moved away from listing new personal goals for each year, since all of the above priorities are longitudinal. Mindy and I have instead been planning out our family's major trips and events at the beginning of each year, which gives us lots of things to look forward to. But every goal and every list requires a reset from time to time, and I know this blog will be here when that time comes, and when it's time to start exploring new intellectual frontiers in detail again.
Until then, be well.
