Perspective & Priorities
When I first set out to write my article for this issue, I was going to write about my perspective and priorities on work and life. Franklin Covey wrote The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Habit 3, “Put First Things First.” No one on their deathbed ever wished they had spent more time at the office. I truly believe that he is absolutely right! My personal perspective is, I have yet to see a funeral hearse with a trailer hitched to it heading to the cemetery. Were taking nothing with us when we leave, it’s just the memories that you made with friends and family that remain on this earth.
I would like to share with you a weekend at the lake with me and my best buddy Gene Pino, written by Dana Pappas, another colleague and friend:
Coffee With Gene
It was a beautiful Sunday morning at Elephant Butte Lake and I was sitting out on the front porch of Joey Montaño’s lake house, drinking coffee with Gene Pino. Gene and I spoke about a little bit of everything that morning, from high school football, to coaching changes in the Metro area, to how he and Sadie had met each other. The entire time we spoke, I couldn’t help but think in the back of my mind what an amazing individual was sitting across from me, drinking his coffee.
Gene has ALS. Some people are given that diagnosis and they stop living, not because they have died but because they have accepted the sentence given to them with that diagnosis. Gene does just the opposite. He continues to live life to the fullest and to appreciate every second that he has. In just 48 hours at the Butte, I was able to learn lessons that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. Those lessons came to me by way of Gene and his good friend, Joey.
Gene had a goal over the weekend to get up on the kneeboard at the lake, as he had done hundreds of times before. He kept trying to get up on the board but because of the reduced grip in his right hand, was having a hard time gripping the rope to be able to stay up on the board. I could see Joey’s wheels turning as he steered the boat across the lake and kept looking back to see how Gene was doing on the board. I could see Joey’s face fall with every time that Gene couldn’t stay up on the board. Finally, Joey stopped the boat and told Gene he had an idea. He took the board and modified the rope and handle so that Gene didn’t need to use his right hand to grip onto it. Within two more tries, Gene was up on the kneeboard, the wind blowing through his hair and a smile on his face. Gene’s perseverance, paired with the friendship and care of Joey, helped him achieve his goal. Watching Gene on the kneeboard made tears well up in my eyes because I was witnessing someone fighting for his life in the best way he knows how – by enjoying it.
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