The Sequel: Don't Stop Belizing
By Tracey C. Jones, PhD
Remember last week when I told you about our epic journey to Belize? The Charlotte airport sleepover? The snorers? The goose-honking nose-blower? The banana halo? The icicles the size of Siberia in the wheel well? Well, I'm finally home after our Belize adventure, and you're not going to believe what happened on the way back.
It happened again.
The Final Tally
Out of a 9-day journey:
· Five days involved being at an airport.
· Two overnight layovers on the floor.
· One sketchy hotel room. (But hey, compared to a tent city cot from my military days, it was luxury!)
· Four full days in Belize paradise.
· I officially earned my Frequent Floor Warrior badge.
You Really Can't Make This Up
While waiting to board our flight from Belize City to Dallas, I watched our pilot get out and walk around the plane, looking at something.
My Maintenance Officer brain kicked in: This isn't good.
Sure enough - maintenance issue. A late takeoff ensured we missed our connecting flight in DFW. We landed at 9 pm, and I got us rebooked for the following day, but since our next flight left at 5 AM, we didn't even bother with a hotel. So there I was: Airport Sleepover Night #2. This time in Dallas instead of Charlotte. This time with much better chairs - I had a leg rest and everything! We're basically professionals at this point. Our Belize trip was officially bookended by airport sleepovers.
"You're Never Coming Back, Right?"
When our hosts heard about all the travel chaos, they said, "Oh no! You're not going to want to come back again, right?"
Are you kidding me? We had the best time ever. Watching Mike catch up with his friend of 48 years was brilliant. The resort was incredible. The memories we made? Priceless. And as you can see from the pictures, even though it was reduced to four days, what a four days it was! Some of this stuff just is what it is. And here's the thing: even if we hadn't made it at all, we would have done it all again. Because the point was never the destination. The point was to continue investing in the compound interest of relationships. These two gentlemen literally made each other's lives exponentially better for the past 48 years! Let's keep that streak going!
The Resolution That Started It All
One of Mike's and my New Year's resolutions this year was to stay connected with the tremendous relationships in our lives. Hence, the amount of travel and dinners we're booking this year.
Relationships don't compound on their own. You have to keep making deposits. You have to be intentional. You have to show up - even when it means sleeping on airport floors, instead of hammocks!
What's In the Middle
Here's the leadership lesson I'm taking away from this trip:
The journey there was hard. The journey back was hard. But what happened in the middle made it all worth it.
Isn't that life? The startup years are brutal. The exit is stressful. But what you build in the middle? Worth it. The early career grind is exhausting. The transition out is uncertain. But the impact you make in the middle? Worth it. The first years of leadership are overwhelming. The final seasons bring their own challenges. But the people you develop in the middle? Worth it.
We don't get to control the turbulence on either end. Storms happen. Flights get cancelled. Pilots walk around planes looking concerned. But we do get to choose our attitude. We do get to invest fully in the middle. We do get to keep making deposits in the relationships that matter.
Don't Forsake the Gathering
The Bible tells us not to forsake the gathering (Hebrews 10:25). Post-COVID, that's more important than ever. Camaraderie and esprit de corps are what make life worth living - especially as we get older and the built-in communities of work start to fade.
We don't stay connected without intentionality. We have to choose it. We have to book the trip. We have to make the call. We have to show up. Even when it means five airport days, two floor sleepovers, and one sketchy hotel room.
Speaking of Staying Connected...
This message is so close to my heart that I'm delivering a webinar on it next week!
Monday, February 17th at 1:00 PM Central, I'm joining Morris Sims and the New York Life Retired Members Club for their first-ever all-member Zoom webinar. (My father, Charlie, spent about ten years with MONY before starting Life Management Services, so this community is near and dear to my heart.)
I'll be talking about:
- Why staying connected matters more than ever
- The power of the personal invite ("Hey, I'm going - you should come")
- How to keep communities vibrant when there's no institutional support
- Legacy or lethargy - we get to choose
- Why showing up to the party matters (especially when someone else is paying for it!)
If you're a retired NYL member, drop me a line, and I'll connect you with Morris and this wonderful group! And if you're not - I hope this message inspires you to book that trip, make that call, and keep investing in the tremendous relationships in YOUR life.
The compound interest of relationships only works if you keep making deposits.
Don't stop Belizing: What's in the middle is worth it!
Finally home and grateful for the journey,
Tracey
