Many Thanks!

My very best wishes for a Happy Thanksgiving to all. There are many wonders to be thankful for. Yesterday's wonder was somehow keeping my workflow going forward with a sick child at home with her sister. It was chaotic, but I had a productive day and tied up some loose end projects. My daughter now feels fine, recovering just about the time her mother came home . . .

I am sure grateful at the prospect of completing my PhD soon. It is amazing to have the opportunity to get a degree online. I simply couldn't imagine being away from home the amount of time a traditional institution would have expected at this point in my life. It isn't any less work, but at least I get to do the work when it's convenient. Some good does come from technology at times.

A huge thank you goes out to all of the people who have been helping me with my research, my dean, mentor, committee members, family and the participants. The search for knowledge requires a lot of support.

I have made my pies and I am ready for the big day. Sweet potato pie with pecan topping and blueberry pie. For those of you worried about how much you will eat between now and the end of the year, I offer wisdom from my dental hygienist: "It's not what you eat during the holidays that you should worry about as much as the other 11 months out of the year." What an amazing situation to worry about eating too much instead of not having enough to eat (our government calls it "food security"). Let's work toward abundance for all.

Finally, I cannot leave the topic without being grateful for family. Thanksgiving is a wonderful opportunity to see family you may not see as much as you would like. It's nice to think that there are people who will love you even when you are not at your best and be there to cheer you when you are.

In gratitude and with good wishes for all,

Shaun Jamison

Been Hitting Fast Forward?

We watched the Adam Sandler movie Click again the other night.

SPOILER WARNING: Do not read on if you are planning to watch the movie and want the moral of the story to be a surprise.

In the movie, Newman is deciding between work and family and, unfortunately, always chooses work over family. He comes into possession of a universal remote that is truly universal, it allows Newman to control everything in his life. The trouble is that the device remembers your preferences and acts on its own. Soon Newman is missing commutes, fights, illness and other events in his life because the remote is fast forwarding through them so Newman does not have to experience them. He realizes he is missing his life and loved ones as a result and wants the fast forwarding to stop.

The lesson is pretty straightforward: We cannot skip or wish away any part of our life without giving up the experience that comes with it. We must truly live each moment of our lives.

But that leaves some questions. Why is this lesson lost on so many of us? Sandler did not come up with a new philosophy or insight, he just came up with his own way of telling a lesson we already know. What will it take to make a dramatic change away from trading the present for the future and from trading people we love for things we want? Individual people can and do make this change, but to do so, they are fighting the system. So, the big question is how do we change the system so more people can make the change?

I invite your suggestions.

Shaun