Odds and ends from my trip

While on the plane, I watched Survivor over someone's shoulder. I don't get the appeal.

I'm glad to leave the high desert even though it's beautiful, mostly because my nose is cracking and bleeding.

I'm also glad I had charge left on my Zune so I could listen to music.

While at the Oregon Youth Challenge program, I saw this slogan:

People may not believe what you say. They will always believe what you do.

So I’m sitting on the plane next to a man who was happy to tell me about his wife and four children, ages 22, 20, 18. and 16 and how his children tell him (and his wife) that they want marriages or relationships like their parents. And yet he’s gone two weeks at a time with a few days in between the trips. Is that really what his children want?

What do they want to emulate?

I just eavesdropped/watched some episode of Survivor (guy in the next row across the aisle has it on his iPad), and in this episode family members were brought in. It was clear to me who really truly had a close relationship with the visiting person—the actions were so loud that even though I couldn’t hear the audio track, I didn’t need it.

Some of the contestants clearly had very strong family bonds with those who visited them. You can fake hugs but unless you are an Oscar caliber actor, I don’t think you can successfully fake the emotion and strong family bonds. I want that with my family.

I think I have it with my younger son and his family although I want more, I want them to know in their hearts of hearts how much I love them and how committed I am to them. I have work ahead of me with my older son, and so does he. That kind of relationship is a two-way street and I’m committed to doing my part.

My parents showed me this kind of commitment this weekend. My mother made a point of telling me how proud she is of me—my favorite line was when she told me I looked too small to be so important in what I do. But her words, while fantastic, didn’t say as much as her actions (and my dad’s actions) did. They drove six HOURS to see me for a few hours and have dinner with me. While I might want to argue with what my mother said, her actions practically hollered at me. And I am humbled and thankful for that message.