In about a month, I’ll celebrate my 15-year wedding anniversary with my wife, Diane.  In honor of that, this series will be about lessons I’ve learned over those 15 years.  We’ll start by talking about the importance of small acts of recognition.

Our family has a lot going on right now.  I’m working multiple jobs and trying to be cool like a duck on the pond while my legs frantically move under the water.  Summer is starting.  Alice has her first major play and is having rehearsal every night for multiple hours.  Cam has been going crazy about going to the pool since it opened.  There’s a lot of stress/excitement/energy making everyone a bit crazy right now.  Sound familiar to anyone else? 😉  Needless to say, it’s been a lot.  Yesterday, Cam was having a particularly difficult day, and my wife handled it beautifully with incredible patience and listening.  She sent me a text update about the situation.  I could have just said read the message and moved on.  Instead, I immediately said, “Great parenting! You’re the best!”  We went on to offer a few words of encouragement and recognition to each other.   

What does this have to do with anything?  I’ve found that in our almost 15 years of marriage, it’s easy to get so busy and wrapped up in the day-to-day grind and routine that I miss a chance to show my appreciation for my wife.  I’ve learned how far a few words of recognition and appreciation can go, especially when things are hectic.  The exact same thing holds true for work.  It’s so easy to get lost in the day-to-day that we don’t pause for a few moments to appreciate and value people for what they are doing. 

The challenge: How will you ensure you’re letting people know you appreciate and value them?

Have a jolly good day,

Andrew Embry