The end of summer vacation is a time I dread. Even though our kid was in camps most weeks, there’s something about the freedom of summer that makes the daily morning rush feel a little less daunting. Maybe we’re a little late today. Maybe he stays with Grandma. Maybe I get an extra hour to sleep, relax, or work out before heading to the office. It’s a respite I didn’t realize was so vital until this year.
This past week, most local children went back to school, while our kid had one extra week before the start of his school year. That meant no camps, no aftercare, just good old-fashioned hanging out at home. Lots of TV, snacks, and pillow forts.
I thought I’d have to go into the office and leave my wife to juggle his time and entertainment. And yes, I recognize that it’s not our job to entertain our children. But when your kid asks you to play, and there’s only a short window left in his life when he actually wants to play with you, you say yes.
Meanwhile, over the last few weeks, we’ve been battling a bit of a critter problem at our office. Typical Florida problems when the rain starts coming down heavy.
Thankfully, we had the services of a local company that came in, dispatched the intruders, set traps, and sealed up the entry points to the building. Over the weekend, their efforts were fruitful, and whatever had been skittering around went over the rainbow bridge.
The only problem? It died in the walls.
The resulting stench was so putrid that we had to close the office for a week and bring in an ozone machine.
Yep. You never know what’s going to come around the next corner when you’re running a nonprofit. A dead rat in the wall that shuts down the office for a week was definitely not on my bingo card.
Our team took the whole thing in stride, as they do with most things. We adjusted schedules, worked from home or out of our Sarasota office, and kept moving. Really, it was a minor inconvenience in the big picture.
But what it gave me was something I didn’t know I needed: an extra week with my kid at home.
A little extra time to slow down. To relax. To recover from the never-ending list of to-dos and the stress of go-go-go culture.
And somehow, I was still incredibly productive. I even unloaded the dishwasher. Pat on the back.
The whole situation reminded me that there really can be a silver lining in almost everything. Sometimes you don’t see it right away. Sometimes it smells terrible and requires an ozone machine.
But eventually, you find it.
So, I’m not going to waste these last few moments of summer wishing things were different. I’m going to enjoy the TV, the snacks, the pillow forts, and the kid who still asks me to play.
Because apparently, sometimes life gives you a dead rat.
And sometimes, the gift is a little extra time with the people you love.
