My Inspiration at My Day Job

There is much to celebrate today on my ten year anniversary at my day job.  I'm surrounded by talented teammates who really care about the people we serve.  Every day I get the opportunity to meet people from all walks of life who inspire me with their stories.  I challenged myself to get up and show up every day no matter what challenges I encountered, like the day I woke up to find my Ford Escape covered in a thick blanket of ice that was practically impenetrable.  I actually called my boss to tell him I was frozen in place and would have to miss work.  That didn't stop me from hacking away at the ice shield until I finally broke through and drove to my day job.  This has been my journey every day for ten years.  I'm celebrating ten years with no call outs.  Why?  Because I believe showing up every day is the least you can do to thank your employer for all the opportunity you are given.

There is one inspiration at my day job that stands out above all the rest and this happened last weekend when I met Nile, a five-year old stick of dynamite who commands an audience like no other.  The moment I met Nile my heart melted.  Nile's dad stood behind him watching our interaction.  He said, "Nile, knuckles."  Niles offered knuckles to greet me.  Then he picked up his sign and posed for a photo before offering me one of his cards with his photo on it.  This kid is powerful. His enthusiasm for life is so encouraging for those who cross paths with him.  Children's hospital was his first home for a long while while his doctors and nurses helped him with numerous challenges and overwhelming odds.  Nile makes me want to do my best to serve others because people like Nile are worth showing up for every day.  The next time I hit an obstacle like the one that nearly kept me away from my day job when Mother Nature dropped her ice bomb on me, I'm going to think of Nile and I'm going to fight like Hell.  Have a great day.