This time of the year is not just about coming up with Top 10 lists, as I wrote about yesterday; it’s also a time to reflect on the year that was and where the days ahead may lead us.
December 28th is five days away. A year ago on this day I learned that my father had lung cancer. As I wrote at the time, “Just like that my world changed. New Year’s was just a few days away, and everything I had been planning and thinking about for the coming year was now in disarray.”
My father died on August 3rd, the day after my birthday. I was fortunate to be with him the last week of his life and I was at his bedside when he took his last breath. In retrospect, I see the poetry in that moment. He saw me come into this world, and I saw him leave it.
I am a different person today than I was a year ago, as we all are.
The same can be said about the state of the economy, and the fortunes and opportunities of many industries, companies, and employees. Whatever outlook you had for the coming year back in September is probably now in disarray. What good can possibly come from all this turmoil?
This question can only be answered in retrospect, and only if we look for the good.
My three year old son was disappointed again this morning. When he awoke, he looked at the dream catcher hanging on his bedpost and there was no dream caught in the webbing. I told him that his dreams are all there, he just can’t see them until he makes them come true with his actions. He’s too young to understand what I meant, but it was a good reminder for me.
Growing up, we had a tradition in our family of eating twelve grapes when the clock struck midnight on New Year’s. We made a wish before eating each grape, one for each month of the New Year. I always had a hard time coming up with twelve wishes, so I would make a final wish and pop the last few grapes in my mouth. I only have one wish this year, and I’ll make it with the first grape I eat. With the other grapes, I’ll just enjoy their taste and think of my father.
What does this all have to do with logistics? Not much, I suppose. Then again, logistics is about getting from one place to another. Where we’re going and how we’ll get there might change over time, but not our dreams and resolve. It’s not the days ahead that lead us, but ourselves.
