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Whenever I go home to Minnesota to see my family, my mother always bakes her "famous meatloaf" for me. I never felt more secure and relaxed than when at my parents home eating together at the family table. I know the aroma of mom's tasty meatloaf will someday come to an end while the great memories that accompany it will linger on long after she has passed.
As the holidays approach, it is more important than ever to remember your loved ones, whether family or friends. All too often we get caught up in work and other activities while forgetting what is most important in our lives. I see my colleagues travel all over the country, skip vacations or work long hours, all at the expense of their loved ones. I too am guilty of that however I do my best to: visit my parents, go for a walk with my wife Michelle, have coffee with a friend or watch one of my son Cameron's games.
In order to achieve the above it has always been my goal to not travel more than one night for a business trip so that I can be back home in time for dinner with my family the next day. Although I have been a 1K (over 100,000 miles flown) with United Airlines for the last decade, this formula has always worked for me. If I have a holiday, birthday or sporting event to attend, I always do my best to have a trusted colleague attend the meeting on my behalf. Thank you for understanding this and allowing me to spend time with my family.
When I speak to some of my senior colleagues who are approaching retirement, they all say they wish they would have spent more time with their children. These words ring loud to me. You never hear people who are retired say that they wish they would have worked more. Spend more time with your family, visit a friend or walk the dog. Research shows that social ties influence multiple and interrelated health outcomes, including health behaviors, mental health, physical health, and mortality risk. Thus, a focus on social ties may prove to be a cost-effective strategy for enhancing health and well-being at the population level (McGinnis et al. 2002;Mechanic and Tanner 2007). It has been proven that reducing strain and improving health habits of a married person may benefit the health of both partners, as well any children they care for. Science supports that spending time with your loved ones is good for your health and spirit. Also, these are memories that you will remember and cherish for the rest of your life.
Thank you for your business, thank you for your friendship, but most of all thank you for letting me spend time with my family so I too may someday continue the family tradition of serving my mother's meatloaf.
Happy Holidays!
Tom
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