Gratitude post for day #5…Today was my first day back at work, and I’d love to say that going back to work itself was a source of gratitude, but it wasn’t. I have lots to do this week, and my interest is peaked elsewhere. But I saw a lot to be grateful for today.

First and foremost — Jacob lost his first tooth. Separate from the simple “milestone” in growing, it was awesome to watch how excited he was about it, how well he handled it, and generally told everyone he could that he had lost a tooth. Truth be told, he’s been a bit envious of the other kids and his cousin who had already lost a tooth. And it was fun tonight to find a “tooth fairy certificate” as a “souvenir” from the tooth fairy (along with a loonie of course).

Second, continuing in that vein, Jacob was the “special person” at school today. This is part of an ongoing rotation where everyone gets to be the special person for a day, which is basically assisting the teacher with the morning message. Jacob has been bubbling over for the last three weeks since he figured out that the first day back it would be him. His message today? “Good morning class. Today is Monday. I lost a tooth.” Awesome spirit.

Third, Jacob is teaching me each day a better way to look at the world. Seeing things through his eyes is always a treat. Take red lights for instance. For most of us, they are a source of annoyance, irritation. Not Jacob. When I miss a light and have to stop when it turns, Jacob is happy — because it means we’re going to be first in line when the light turns green. Inspiring.

Fourth, this morning’s trip to work was a bit cold and icy, but it was more than made up for by the beauty that was the ice in the trees. My boss mentioned too that he wanted to play hooky today so that he could take his camera out and shoot shots of the ice all day. Needless to say, I would have joined him!

Fifth, it’s expensive, but I love having indoor parking at work. Not having to go outside and scrape at the end of the day, nor fight for a spot in some of the local lots, it really helps with stressor avoidance.

Sixth, I work in a really interesting branch. One of the other officers dropped my today just to say hi in passing, and the policy issue on his mind was really fascinating. Human rights, equality, religion, economics, universality, communities vs. individuals, fundamental principles of programs, etc. Cool stuff. And I’m equally glad that I’m not the one who has to figure out the solution. 🙂

Seventh, I have been a manager for 10 years now, varying levels, and frequently when I bring staff on, they are new to the area/files. Rarely have I hired someone who was already an “expert” in the area. Which is part of the design I have in hiring — I generally hire good people with strong potential, and then brainwash the crap out of them until I build my army to take over the world as part of my domination plan, errr, I mean mentor them well to achieve their full potential. And with each employee, there are several “phases” or milestones that you get to witness as they develop. Today I was pleasantly surprised to see one slightly ahead of my expectation of timing, and even more grateful that others saw it too. It’s one of the most rewarding aspects of being a manager.

Eight and final, I am grateful for coffee dates with my wife. We really don’t take enough advantage of the fact that we work near each other, but today we had time to go for coffee, talk a bit about some fun things for the year, and detach from work for a bit in the middle of the day.

Overall, a very good day. Onward in the journey…