How Lucky We Are

Ever read the book “How Lucky you are?” by Dr. Suess? It’s fantastic. It reminds you of the simple and the not so simple things about life.
Last night I read it again. For the kiddo, not just me. And the section of the bee-watcher-watchers kills me. The bee needs to be watched to keep up its productivity so a bee-watcher gets that job but after a while people wonder if the bee watcher is doing his job well enough. Soon, a line of people are watching one another. This could be a nightmare for some of us in the tech field.
But that is not my life. I’m lucky.
I work in a culture of meritocracy. Ideas win. Power is used to pursue those ideas for winning markets. Every one’s opinion is regarded. And I work with some of the smartest and good people. Smart because they “get it” and love to engage other smart people. And “good”. They coach people behind the scenes, they volunteer for non-profits when they don’t “have time” to do it. They get home in time for soccer games, or to drive their kiddo to Sacramento on a 3-day weekend. They put down their email when people are talking with them. They, in other words, remember to have a life and be a person while they work. The work is in service to the person. Not the service to the person.
Just this last week, I had dinner with a Bill J who is thinking about what’s next in the post-PC world. Then with MCW and talked about the workforce changes going on. And so on. These people are focused on ideas that need to be discussed, and understood, and engaged for reasons small and big.
So, I’m very lucky. And I know it. Thanks to all of you who help me have so much joy in my life.