LETTER FROM THE EDITOR: Stop and be excellent...

With everything going on in the world today — our busy lives, our children’s busy schedules, the political back and forth and the challenges of the economy, to name a few — it's easy to forget to stop and smell the flowers a bit.  

I was reminded of the fact that a little time for oneself is necessary just recently when my uncle passed away. He was good man and had been dealing with several health issues for some time. Still, right to the end, he was positive, cracking jokes, flirting with my aunt and spoiling his children and grandchildren until the end.  

That was the reminder, in a roundabout way, that I needed to make sure and enjoy my family as well. I’m pretty sure my wife had forgotten what I looked like when I wasn’t sitting at a computer editing something. Our dogs — we have three — were losing their minds when I left the house in the morning and wouldn’t let me out of their site once I got home. Granted, they’re clingy little buggers. Still, it had gotten excessive.  

Thinking about it, I’m certain my uncle’s unwavering spirit, even up to the end when he was in pain and having trouble breathing, was in large part because he’d remained focused on his family. He was excited for my cousin getting married. He had a brood of grandchildren that he spoiled rotten — raising four girls and two boys will generate lots of grandkids, generally — and he had gone on an Alaskan cruise with my aunt last year that he absolutely loved, as much because it was her dream come true as because he’d gone on a cruise.  

The last couple of weeks, I made it a point to take a bit of time for myself each weekend to focus on my wife and family, including the needy dogs. It is phenomenal how much better I’ve been handling stress as a result. I’ve been more focused and productive at work, and my wife has been a lot happier as a result too.  

I hope each of you takes the time to unplug a bit each day and for longer stretches each weekend to give yourself time for yourselves and time for your families. Work on a project — a raised flowerbed is in the works at the Miller household — watch a TV show with your loved ones, catch a movie or go on a camping trip.  

It doesn’t matter what you do but take the time to step away from work and social media and engage with the real humans around you. I really think we’ve all forgotten what matters and that’s a big part of the problem with the world in any generation. We work so hard to support our families' basic needs that we forget to take care of their — and our — social needs in a productive way.  

It may be cliche, but life really is too short not to be focused on living a real, quality and enjoyable life. Work as you need to but put down the phone and turn to your loved ones. Grab your spouse’s hand and just hold it for a while. Play a board game. Shoot some hoops. Toss a line in the water and catch a fish. Just remember that working earns a living and living involves time with those you love and time taking care of yourself.  

In the words of two of the wisest men from the late 1980s, “Be excellent to each other,” ... and don’t forget to be excellent to yourself in the process.  

As a side note, if your children and grandchildren haven’t seen “Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure,” there’s no time like this weekend. It’s available on a plethora of streaming channels, some of which are free. Keanu Reeves is more than John Wick and Neo, and these youngsters should know that. 

With appreciation and hope your spring has been amazing. 

R. Hans “Rob” Miller
Managing Editor
Columbia Basin Herald
Basin Business Journal