Digging Deep

When everything is going great your life seems fun and easy. You get up, you look forward to your day, you embrace it with optimism and enthusiasm, you sail through your routines, commitments, responsibilities and activities with ease and enjoyment. You’ve got a smile on your face, a song in your heart and pep to your step! Your conscious thoughts are focused on the fact that Life is Good! Those are the “Totally Awesome Days”! If our lives were perfect everyday would be like this, but that is not the reality in which we live.

The cruel reality is that not every day is perfect and some are so far from perfect that we cannot comprehend how we will get through them. These not so perfect days are the times when it can be so difficult to be grateful, joyous or keep the song going in our heart and the spirit of optimism in our attitude. Never the less they are the days that chisel out our character and make us who we are. Getting through those not so perfect days sometimes causes us to dig deep with in ourselves to call upon our inner strength and the character traits that define who we are.

The past couple of weeks I have found myself having to dig very deep to find motivation for many things. My energy stores have been so drained that even finding motivation to do simple household duties seemed to be overwhelming, let alone try to muster up the energy and motivation to fit in my 15 hours of Training for the week.

I have had to have a lot of talks with myself, digging deep inside me to find the strength I needed to make the hard choice to “start” a training session. I literally got tired of hearing myself say “come on Kathi, dig deep, you know it’s in there, dig deeper and find it”.

One day I was talking with my son Adam about “digging deep”. We were discussing what it means, what it takes, and what would cause someone to actually challenge them self in such a way. The next day Adam said to me “Mom, I know what it is that causes someone to dig deep, it’s DESIRE”. Then he asked me if I had a moment for him to read something to me. What follows is the poem that Adam wrote for me.

Desire
Oh what a desire
A curious, nefarious, singing thing
A no matter what the devil brings
A simply complex two faced sting
Burning o’er the pyre

Is it in the challenge
A dreary seldom seen time
A thought that all will be fine
A lust for poetic rhyme
Simply taking the plunge

Is it in the soul
A deep down tingling pain
A turgid wild hair to tame
A brief attempt to stave the rain
What is the end goal

Is it a feeling
A something made to perceive
A difference that does deceive
A prayer asking for reprieve
Floored to the ceiling

Oh this desire
A bring me back to life
A brief stiff wind at night
A Chance to see the light
A light from up higher

Desire

Thank you Adam for defining for me in such a positive way why I have chosen to "Dig Deep"

Defining Moments

Most of you locally who know me are aware of the Media Firestorm that attacked my family this past week. Although there was "a story" told it was not "The Story" (ie the truth)! Our little corner of the world was rocked and our hearts lay heavy.

I do not have the words to truely express to you how grateful we are and how much we appreciate all of your support, in the way of phone calls, cards, e-mails and personal visits that were filled with words of affirmation and validation of the honor and integrity of our family.

Although this past week has been very difficult it has been very defining to us regarding the value of Family and True Friends. I know that difficult times chisel out our character, define for us who we are, what we stand for and make us stronger. Never the less when the things closest to your heart are attacked it is very painful. For me that would be my family, and the foundational and core values that we have spent many years to build and define. It is this foundation that will come to your aid or fail you in times of trial, we feel very blessed that in the midst of the firestorm we drew strength and direction from one another.

Today as a family we have surrendered to the fact that Life isn't always fair and we are choosing to hold our heads high in confidence about who we are and the principles that define us. We are unified in not allowing people who do not know us and who do not share our same values to have any power over our lives!

Those of you who know us and love us know "The Story" without us even having to tell you and we love and appreciate you for that. The way you have rallied around us has blessed our lives and hugged our hearts and for that we are grateful.

Onward we go, with optimism and anticipation of the greater things that lie ahead! Taking comfort in realizing that we live in a Country that has become addicted to "Breaking News" and that this hurtful Media Storm will pass and one week, one month or one year from now, this story will not matter!

If I thought that the paper would print my editorial this is what I would write:

"I assume that you’ve heard of the recent occurrence at the Spokane County Assessor’s office. The case of a young man who applied for a position in the same office his father worked in. Nepotism and favoritism were common arguments against this hire. The outburst from the media and a very small percentage of the public cost this young man, Adam Best, his job. The question I pose to you is what kind of message does this send to our youth? We raise our children to shoot for the moon. We frequently state that anything is possible if you dream it. And, when one shining star does rise to the occasion and buys into our teachings we cut him down. We cut him down for the simple fact that he is a mere 23 years of age and that his father happens to work in the same office. It’s a wonder why Spokane loses such a large number of young, motivated, visionary and highly educated individuals to surrounding areas such as Seattle. They would rather brave the rain than a large number of skeptical and mediocre minds. Mediocrity surely does attack excellence. I applaud Mr. Baker’s decision to hire such a young and enthusiastic man fully knowing beforehand the consequences such a hire would bring. Perhaps this event will spurn Spokane to finally have a vision for our children. Then again, perhaps not. Regardless of the outcome, I extend a hearty thank you to Mr. Baker for his vision and professionalism."

Kathi Best

Spokane WA